The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-09-14
The Cost Of Living.

The cause of hard times is the subject
selected by most of the speakers at pO-
litical meetings the present season.
They generally tell their hearers that
the difficulty in getting living arises
either from excessive taxation caused
by dishonest officials, or on account of
a currency too much or too little in
fated. The remedy for existing evils,
they say, is only to be found in the bal
lot-box. People are always very willing
to look at a distance for the cause of the
troubles that afflict them, and are rare
ly willing to acknowledge that they are
themselves to blame. The fact must be
acknowledged by all who will investi-
gate the matter that the cost of living
in this countrywas hardly ever less than
at the present time. People can live
very cheaply if they wish to, but they
are not so inclined. They acquiredvery
extravaganza notions about living during
the flush times of the War, which they
are unwilling to give up. Instead OF
adapting themselves to the changed
condition of affairs, they grumble about
the hard timesiand the exceeding diff
Guilty of gaining livelihood. By
livelihood they mean living as persons
of large means do, or as they themselves
lived during a short season of unnatural
financial prosperity. Decent living
means porterhouse and sirloins, chick
ems, game, and most of the articles that
are classed as luxurieS in other cOun-
tries, and which were so regarded by
themselves fifteen or twenty years ago.
Respectable clothing embraces silk hats,
satin bOnnets, garments made of silk
and brOadcloth, French calf and patent
leather boots and shoes. 1t also includes
kid gloves, laces, and ornaments of va
rious kinds and descriptions. Every
man is expected to carry gold watch,
and every woman to wear several pieces
of jewelry.
The great trouble about the cost of
living lies in the circumstance that
scarcely any one is willing to acknowl-
edge by his dress or manner of living
that he is poor. This is not the case in
foreign countries that are noted for
their thrift, as England, France, and
Germany, for examples. In the former
country, it is said that five-siXths of all
who travel by rail ride in other than
first class carriages. Railway mana
gers in this country state that there is
absolutely no demand for inferior cars,
unless to accommodate recently arrived |
foreigners. No one wishes to ride for |
pleasure or on business otherwise than |
first-class. In our theaters and other |
places of amusement the lOw-priced |
seats are vacant or only occupied by |
persons who have sunk below pride. !
In London and Paris they are occupied
by persons quite as respectable as those
who occupy boxes. Our butchers COM
plain that there are no customers who |
wish TO buy inferior cuts of meat. /
They arc looking for breed of cattle
that furnish nothing but sirloin steaks
and choice roasting pieces. As rule,
our bakeries furnish but one grade of
bread, while similar establishments in
great European cities furnish half a
dozen kinds, suited to the means of diff
ferent classes of customers.
1t is foolish to talk of the expensive
ness of food when flour can be obtained
for IS per barrel, potatoes for S1.25,
fish for 81 so; when beans sell for 80
cents per bushel, butter for 20 cents
per pound, rice for 6 cents, cheese for
s. and sugar for 10. The truth is, more
than half the expense for food comes
from little Injuries that are OF
hardly any value in sustaining life.
In foreign countries this expense is
saved altogether, or only INDUCED in
on particular occasions. We live In
the greatest corn-growing section OF
the world, though the grain is scarcely
used at all as an article of food. We
are side of lake full of excellent fish,
which are rarely eaten by our people. /
The prairies are full of hogs, only the !