Daily Republican., 1882-05-15
Economy Needed.


1t is some consolation to know that
there was a downward tendency il the
price of of provisions the latter part of
last week, especially in bread stuffs.
For a long time prices of flour and
meat have been rapidly going up the
ascending scale, much to the alarm OF
h0usekeepers, who began seriously to
wonder where they were going to stop
at. Not even the crisis in Irish affairs
interests us 60 much as the prices of
living. We can we'll afford to wait to
see what England intends to do in the
case, but we cannot live long without
eating and when a weeks living
amounts to more than the wages we
receive, the question of bread and
meat becomes most Dsely interest
ing. Butchers tell us, and we believe
the? are honest, that the high prices of
beef are due as alleged to the whole
sale destruction by the Western Shows
Of the very severe winter of 1879 and to
the recent foods in the Mississippi.
Whether this is true or whether the
rise in beef is caused by the specula.
tion of few dealers who have sue.
ceeded in making a corner in cattle,
matters nothing to the consumers so
long as they really have the remedy in
their own hands, and that remedy is
not to buy any meat for week,,or two
or until prices become reasonable
again. What, do without our juicy
beef steak, mutton chops and veal
cutlets, we think we hear scores Of
voices say in chorus at the bare thought
of throwing aside an indulgence and
luxury to which by long use they have
accustomed themselves We say yes,
stop eating SO much neat We are
aware that it is rather bare platitude
to ask wise man to do without thing
as a resource, simply because he is not
able to get But then meat has come
to be considered By large mass of
Americans as the staff of life, and it is
high time that sach ideas were checked.
So accustomed have householuers be-
come to view meals victuals inCOm-
plete without the never falling dish Of
meat, that they actually do not know
that there are articles which supply
precisely the same kind and amount OF
nutriment to the human body as the
flesh of animals. The present is a
suitable time for such hCuSekeepeTs tC
study these useful facts in diatetiCs
The cheaper cuts Of beet and mutton
too, are quite as appetizing and nutri'
Cious as the choice parts, if little
more attention was paid to the prepara
tiUn of them fer the table. Some o.
the most delicious courses are prepared
by the French cook, which an Amer
ran housewife would reject with sCOrl
from her table. There are many house
holds, too, where oatmeal, fist ant
vegetables are comparatively unknown
and where bread and meats, now tn,
most costly things in living, are useN
exclusively for table diet. That
vegetarian diet is conducive to healtl
cannot be denied. There are whOl
races of men, sturdy and long lived
who have been reared on vegetable
instead of meat. Now is good tim
to commence vegetarian diet.
housekeepers will but practice littl
self denial, the price of meats will /
reduced to consistent standard.
this principle is carried out, it will nj
belong before speculators will be taugl
wholesome lesson. The present pr
cts may lie alarming, but they wi
have their use if they will force tt
lavish, reckless consumer into learnir
seme long neglected lessors in Dome
tic economy.