The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-10-04
THE HARD TIMES.
Whit In II that Causes Them.-The Remedy
In our Own Hands.

What Ia 1t that Causes Them--The Remedy
in our Own Hands.
The following article, from a Chicago
paper, applies to other localities than the
West People are always very willing to
look at a distance for the cause ct the
troubles that aflict them, and are rarely
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 country was hardly eve less than
at the present time. Poor people can
live very cheaply if they wish to, but
they are not SO inclined. They acquired
very 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 times and the exceeding diff
Guilty Of gaining a livelihood. By q
livelihood they mean living as persons
of large means do, or as they them
selves lived during a short season of un-
natural financial prosperity. Decent
living means porterhouse and sirloins,
chickens, game, and most of the arti-
cles that are classed as luxuries in other
countries, and which we're 40 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 various kinds and descriptions.
Every mar is expected to carry a gold
watch, and every woman to wea 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 Ger
many, for examples. In the former
country, it is said that five. sixths of all
who travel by rail ride in other than
frst-class carriages. Railway managers
in this country state that there is abso-
lutely no demand for inferior cars unless
to accommodate recently arrived for
eigners. No one wishes to ride for
pleasure or on business otherwise than
frst-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
are looking for a breed of cattle that
furnish nothing but sirloin steaks and
choice roasting pieces. As a rule, q
bakeries furnish but n grade of bread,
while similar establishments in great
European cities furnish half o dozen
kinds, suited to the means Of different
classes of customers.
It is foolish to talk OF the expensive
ness of food when -four can be obtained
for So per barrel, potatoes for 81. 25, fish
for 81. so; when beans sell for fifty cents
per bushel, butter for twenty cents per
pound, rice for six cents, 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 countries this expense is saved
altogether, or only INDUCED in on par
ticular occasions. We live in the great.
est corr growing section Of the world,
though the grain is scarcely used at all
as an article of food. We are side of o
lake full of excellent fish, which are rare
ly eaten by our people. The prairies
are full of hogs, only the hams of which
are eaten here, though the inferior por-
tons of the animals are regarded as e1-
cellent food across the water. In truth,
we find little use for any part of spring
lambs except the headquarters. People
who are above eating the meats furnish
ed by our domestic animals, the fonr
and meal furnished by Jul ordinary
wheat and corn, and the cured fish taken
from our lake, are not i'll a situation to
complain of the expense of a 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
making has passed into the hands Of
professionals. The sewing machine
that was to remove a great portion of
the burdens of woman's existence has
added to them by creating a demand for
ruf1es and hounces that were almost IN
known only O few years ago. The cause
of the present trouble about getting a
living is to be found in every mans
household, and not at d distance. Poo
pie can live cheaply and dress COM
fortably 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 rs they ever did.