Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 March 1877 — Is It Cowardice. [ARTICLE]

Is It Cowardice.

An acquaintance remarked in hearing, a tew day* since, that the hard times and stagnation in business were more the result of cowardice than anything else. The more we have thought of this assertion, the more have we become convinced that it contains a good deal of truth. “Nothing risked, nothing gained,” is a triie old saying, and there iff no good reason why it should not bf a* pertinent in the ordinary transactions of a family or A neighborhood, as in more extensive commercial operations. Of the one fact there can be but little doubt, that ufoney is cheaper to-day than ever before in the history oft h is nation; and if there is a stagnation in its circulation, it must be either in consequence of a lack of confidence in the stability of our prosperity or through cowardice on the part of the possessors of means to engage in active business. Doubtless iliany of our capitalists are like a !‘burnt child—afraid of the fire;’’ but this oarr scarcely be the condition of Actual producers of necessary articles for which there ie a- never-failing demand at some price, whether highly or barely remunerative. : The fluctuations in the prioes of such articles as are classed as necessaries, are the result of variations in supply and demand although, doubtless, many o-f our readers think otherwise, especially if these fluctuations affect the products of thefr own fiiritil. Ts tlie prices of butter, eggs, cheese and similar artieies go below what tfco producer thinks a fair figure, he is ready to declare that A combination has been formed among buyers; but this can very seldom, if ever, successfully occur in a country so extensive as our own, as many have leArtied to their ert*t during the past few years. The man who has but little to sell, may say, “What I have will make no difference, so I will hold for a rise,” fergetting that copious shower* are made up of little drops of water. Thus one by one each holds back, not daring to risk his capital, he it little or much, to keep trade and business brisk, Ia not.this a species of cowardice? Perhaps not; but certainly it has the appearance of it, to say the least.— Rural NeioYorker. A law was passed by the legislature of 1875 declaring illegal and void the. then usual previsions of promisdory notes ranking of attorney’s fees part of the. note on condition that it was nut paid at maturity and suit was instituted thereon. Since that time various forms of notes have been u«ed by brokers and otheis, And many cornHiding decision* have been mndf thereon by the st'ate courts. Recently tnu supreme court passed upon different forms of these notes —first, the old form, providing for attorney’s fees on condition that the note is not paid, is declared tq be illegal and void; second, a note made payable in gold com of the United States is held to be legal; third, a note providing forth© payment of five per cent of the attorney’s fees is eonstitntfftnal, the court holding this not to be in conflict with the statute, and its payment to be eniarceable by law; fourth, a note providing for payment of five per cent for expenses of collection oilier than attorney’s fees if suit he instituted on the note, is alsoheld good and collectible at law; fifth, a note providing for payment of five per cent, for exohange and other expensca incident to collection other than attorney’s fees, is held to he legal and enforceable by law. The effect of this decision is to make practically void the statute referred to in the first place.—Crown Point Register. Post Master General Tyner under Grant, has finally concluded to accept the office of second assistant general. Those who know Tvner best, A"4> not surprised at tins, as it is believed hi* appetite for office would have been gratified 'with a clerkship, rather than return to the shades of private IdV. There ivito difficulty in thi* clam of patriots accommodating themselves to the sithatibn, cyeir to serving undef a yebcl general.Wifiunujc l)tino&ut. — ■■ If the legislature keeps on making new judicial circuits, judge* of our circuit courts wid w»i*n lot ** numerous* 'as j«stlccii of the peace. Some of our judge* will not tat engaged for the mate more than (MR months out of the ytar, but, tbi* will not prevent iheir drawing two thousand, fly* hundred dylluf* p-r .yearti.fipoiu the public treasury.-~ | ’Winutoac Iteptonat. ; ;;