The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-09-28
THE HARD TIMES.
WHAT IS IT THAT CAUSES THEM-THE
REMEDY IS OUR OWN HANDS.

The following article, from a Chicago pa
per, applies to other localities than the West:
People are always very willing TO look at q
| distance for the cause of the troubles that
afflict them, and are rarely willing TO ac-
| knowledge that they are themselves to
blame The fact must be acknowledged by
all who will investigate the matter that the
cost of living in this country was hardly ever
less than at the present time. Poor people
can live very cheaply if they wished to, but
they are not so inclined. They acquired
very eXtravagant notions about living dur
ing the flush times of the war, which they
are unwilling to give UP. Instead of adapt
| ing themselves to the changed condition olaf
fairs, they grumble about the hard times and
the exceeding difficulty OF gaining a liveli-
hood. By a livelihood they mean living as
persons Of large means do, or as they them
selves lived during q short season OF unnat-
ural financial prosperity. Decent living
means porterhouse steak and sirloins, chick
ems, game, and most Of the articles that are
classed as luXuries in other countries, and
which were so regarded by themselves fif-
teen or twenty years ago. respectable cloth
ing embraces silk hats, satin bonnets, gar
mcnts made of silk and broadcloth, French
calf and patent leather boots and shoes. 1t
also includes kid gloves, laces and orna-
ments of various kinds and descriptions.
Every man is expected to carry gold
watch. and every woman to wear several
pieces of iewelry.
The great trouble about the cost OF living
lies in the circumstance that scarcely any
one is willing to acknowledge by his dress OF
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 Ger
many, for examples. In the former coun-
k,,xr 81 7 49, tpox
ell by rail ride in other than tirst-class car
riages. Railway managers in this country
state that there is absolutely no demand for
inferior cars unless to accommodate recent
ly-arrived foreigners. No one wishes to ride |
for pleasure or on business otherwise thar
first-class. In our theatres and other places
Of amusement the low priced seats are va
cant or only occupied by persons who have
sunk below pride. In London and Paris
they are occupied by persons quite as re-
spectacle as those who occupy boxes. Our
butchers complain that there are no custom
ers who wish to buy inferior cuts of meat |
They are looking for breed of cattle that
furnish nothing but sirloin steaks and choice
roasting pieces. AS a rule, our bakeries fur !
nish but one grade of bread, while similar
establishments in great European cities fur
nsh half a dozen kinds, suited to the means
of different classes of customers.
1t is foolish to talk of the expensiveness of
food when flour can be obtained for So per
BARREL potatoes for 81 .25, fish for $50, when
beans sell for fifty cents per bushel, butter
for twenty cents per pound, rice for six cts,
cheese for eight and sugar for ten. The |
truth is, more than half the expense for food
comes from little luxuries that are of hardly
any value in sustaining life. In foreign coun- |
tries this expenses saved altogether, or only |
INDUCED in on partular occasions. We live |
in the greatest corn growing sections of the |
world, though the grain is scarcely used at
all Us an article of food. We are aside of a
lake full of excellent fish, which are rarely
eaten by our people. The prairies are full of
hogs, only the hams CT which are eaten here,
though the inferior portions OF the ANIMALS |
are regarded as excellent food across the
water. In truth. we find little use for any |
part of spring lambs except the hindquar-
tiers. People who are above eating the meats !
furnished by our domestic animals, the flour |
and meal furnished by our ordinary wheat |
and corn, and the cured fish taken from our
lakes, are not in a situation to complain of
the expense Of sufficient supply of food.
AS to materials for clothing, they were
rarely ever so cheap as now, if we except
the one article of leather. Prints can be
bought for from six to eight cents per yard,
cambrics for six cents, ginghams, ten cents,
delaines, sixteen cents. The trouble is, the
making of the dress costs three or four times
as much as the material, and that dress-ma-
king has passed into the hands of profession
ais. The sewing machine that was to re-
move a great portion OF the burdens OF wo
mans existence has added to them by crea-
ting a demand for ruffles and flounces that
were almost unknown only a few years ago.
The cause OF the present trouble about set
ting a living is to be found in every mans
household, and not at distance. People
can live cheaply and dress comfortably for a
very small sum of money if they will only
set themselves about it. The wages for a
days labor, even at the reduced rate paid in
many kinds of business, purchases as much
of all kinds of useful articles as they ever
did