New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-14
ECONOMY IN FOOD-WHAT SHALL WE
EAT!


but slight insight into the condition of all the labor
Ing olass to zee that the cry frequently raised for in
cresse Of wages only the disguised cry OF the hun
gry for food. Daily wages are daily consumed and
often the only means of support for week is the
weekly credit Of the butcher, baker and grocer This
is never given except at an increased profit, and
little too often at profit obtained BY papAbe sFind
lrg in light weights and measures, of which the VIC
tins dare not complain for fear of Losing the accom-
mediation" as the credit is called. While work lasts
the laborer can i've when it fails be has nothing in
store TO fall back upon. Whoever, then, will make
known TO this class how TO economic 10 their food so
as to increase the suppy without an increase of ex
pendtuie, will be doing them greater benefit than
he would in lifelong haraDgue on politics, either
Hard Shell, Sof-SbeI, CT DO she'll.
We need Lot repeat here how hard it is for those de-
pendent upon daily employ ment to furnish their fam
lies with suitable food, at time when, from sickness
or other cause they are not in receipt Of wages.
Too often, at such times there is deep suering and
last Winter there was actual starvation.
VIII il be any better this Winter, now so rapidly
approaching that il ser de shudder through many
family circle who remember what ecenes they passed
through last January, February and March
There has been, there is now, there viii be much
suffering for food in this city Notwithstanding our re-
ceipts of tens of thousands weekly Of butchers ami
mails and our millions OF bushels of corn and wheat,
and rye, and oats, and barley, and buck wheat and
beans and peas and rice, for breadstuffs and daily
sbip-loads of potatoes of both kinds and untold piles
of other edible roots and vegetables and grea. store
houses full of -four butter, cheese, fish, fruit eggs,
poultry ana sailed meats, and q thousand unnamed
articles of food yet the mass are not foil fed; and
whyl Because they do not know how TO eat Not
that they lack the animal function of consuming, bat
in providing both in TIE purchase Of kind and quail
ity and in tie PREPARATION there is lsnentabe want
of Judgment and utter want of economy. The want
of food among the poor is great evil 1t breeds dis
content dissipation crime and ruin to any civilized
society.
There is a remedy
II would be greater charity to teach that remedy
than to establish soup-hOuses.
The fist step would be to change our fashion OF
food; to abandon such articles excessively dear
in the raw state for Others equally good and more nu-
tritious, and to adopt different and more rational
plan Of cooking. This would not only promote econ
opv but he alth; both of which would add vastly to
our stock Of enjoyment.
Without exception both rich and poor in America
eat exravogantly of animal food, cooked In the most
e,tray eant and waseful manner by frying, baking,
roasting or boiling, and throwing sway half of the nu-
ritious matter in burnt gravy, or gelate dissolved
in the pot liquor
Again, we consume vast quantities Of the meanest
and most innutrtous vegetables, costly at first and
cooked in the most fooshy wasteful manner. The
fashion OF extravaganza i'll living is set by the rich,
and they are aped in their folly by the poor The
sequence s that there want and suffering whenever
work and wages fail.
There is a remedy. The only question is, how it
shall be applied Better than charity would be
not to provide food for the poor but to
teach them what to buy and how to use IT. how to
economic their money.
The very fist step toward this blessed state OF
thrgs, should be taken by our city government, II
indeed we have such thing left to US, by removing
all restrictions upon the producer by which he Is kept
away from the consumer. We pay now an average
of thirty three per cent advance upon everything that
il eaten in New York, over and above Whist we should
pay if tbese restrictions were removed.
Leteyery one who has bought head OF cabbage
this FAIL think what he paid. Six, ten, or twelve
cents each, while the producer has not received an
average of two cents each. The turnip eaters are
paying every day at the rate of enc to two collars
bushel The proaucer is receiving an average of less
than twenty cents. We pay for many things In the
same proportion, owing to our absurd and wicked
market regulations
The producer is kept sway from the consumer He
is not permitted to ITO the city anc enjoy the ad'
vantages of " free trade" in his own produce.
WHY The city fathers say that we hsve no room
nowhere for him to stand his wagon, wne'e the poor
man or the poor woman may come with her market
basket upon her arm, and ges it file at first prices
Under the present market regulations sll the coun-
try wagons are hud3ed into the cramped space around
Washington market, where none but stout men, or
class of market buies get to them; for LII add
ton TO the crowdipg, the wagons are driven out at
O'Clock in the morning. The city fathers say they
cannst amend It's e:ror because they have nowhere
else TO put the wsgons.
We can help them. We will point out place, aud
LET the recommendation be adopted, and it will cheap
en- family marketing in this city TO very large ciass
Of consumers full twenty per cent. Pass en- or
dinance at once making Canal street through al the
new videned par from Centre street 20 the East river
msrSet place for country wagons .Dd there let them
stand and sell their stuff from sunrise til 10 O'Clock, a.
retail with no privilege Until after that hour OF sell
ling OF bolesale leaving the stand, unless their
load is al sod out.
This is measure OF relief to TIE poor, easily brought
about one that would produce RAJ economy IN food
Our city makes paupers, first by thwarng the laOorer
in his facilities 10 get cheap food, and then by the
soup-bouse system of feeding those who are unable
through misfortune to obtain q supply.
But this Is foreign TO our main subject-economy
in kind and quality Of food for the industrious poor
They DO Lot study economy in their purchases. All
KINDS o. fresh meat cost from tea to twe1,y cents
pound, ard vey few Americans sTe willing to take low
price meats, add generally those who car least afford