The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-31
GL1e G1rtslLIqeateE.
once, Nos. "a and ~ Fourteenth Street.
"EnE PRIoE OF LIRE.n
A RsmarkAbls Article by Edward AtklnAS
in WBrRdStrOsrs,W

A Remarkable Article By Edward Atkinson
in "BrAdhtEeSIs."
Edward Atkinson writes to BradSirest,
as follows; We have become SO much
accustomed to measure the price Of thing
in money that 1t ia little difficult to for
get the rates Of wages, earnings, or profits
and look only at the actual results Of toll
But reflection will show. thRt-th fol
which men and women really work Is moi
money, but subsistence. The price paid
for shelter, food, and clothing is the price
Of sustaining lie. It Is, therefore, ~
urgent problem for millions how to get q
good subsistence for leas money than they
spend for q poor one, The way for the
working classes TO improve their condition
Is TO produce more or waste less, When
each one has found out this secret for him
self the labor question will be practically
settled, All there Is init ia how to answer
the all-absorblng question, "What Is the
price Of life"
The magnitude Of this problem to the
people OF the United States appears from
the fact that 20 percent OF them trust to
their daily work ioI the daily price OF their
own lives and OF those who depend upon
them, In the working classes" in the
narrow sense Of that term, are reckoned
laborers, servants, mechanics and factory
operatives, with whom may be included
teachers, clerks, statesmen, saleswomen,
seamstreSses, and the like. In the strictly
working class may also be included COPPER
cent Of all the farmers who own their own
land, but who work harder than any Of
their hired men, To all such persons the
price Of life Ia the one question which Is
always before them.
There Ia q somewhat subtle distinction
between the cost Of life and the price OF
life, The cost Is the force consumed. In
respect to each individual it Is the effort
which he makes, BIO 1t great or email. The
true cost OF life is the measure OF the
actual work performed by each person in
order to secure the shelter, food and cloth.
ing which are necessary, together with
the additional comforts and luxuries
which each person can afford to enjoy in.
Guiding leisure. BY Nleisure" Is meant
the control of part Of each day free from
the urgent necessity Of working for mere
subsistence. II may be that he who at
tains such leisure will adopt the definition
OF this word which Ia given by the "Old
Bohemian" In his cookery book. He says
that leisure consists In the dlligent and
intelligent use Of time"
In contrast with this broad view the
cost OF mans lie 10 the community.
whether he be capitalist or laborer, Is Just
what he consumes out Of the annual pro-
duct and no more. Tho price Of mans
life to himself is what he pays out OF his
earnings for his necessary consumption,
A man can live at very low price to-day,
and II he be intelligent he may earn the
price at the cost oivery little labor.
To measure the price oil life let US sup.
pose that single man In the City OF Bos.
ton puts the question to himself, "At
what price can / live independently by
myself In a small room, or cumming
with q companion In better room?" The
answer Ia that 5000 year Is the price OF o
very comfortable subsistence. II no can
earn $500 for eight or six hours days
work he will also live at q low cost and
enjoy a large modlCum OF leisure.
II the man Is really poor, or II he de.
Bires to save q large part OF bis earnings,
the price Of his life In money may even
be reduced TO Sl20 year. But he must
be a very intelligent man who can live
comfortably on that sum. He must be
rather more capable than the average
man. II takes great deal OF intelligence
to get the most comfort for the least cost.
How Ia 1t to be done2
l. Shelter. Two young men can find
decent room In one Of several parts Of
Boston, tolerably furnished. which can be
hired for 500 year, Or $50 for each, in.
Guiding the care OF the room and the
modiCdm Of heat which they will need In
winter. II they choose to take care Of
their own rooms and buy their own fuel,
they can do still better
9. Clothing. II the man knows where
10 buy and what to buy, he can purchase
full and comfortable supply Of clothing,
including outer and under garments, hats,
boots and shoes, overalls, and the like, at
cost oil $4j-that Is 10 say, within this
sum may be included ope-third part Of
the wear Of best oVercoat, Of best pair
OF shoes, and OF best suit oil clothes for
Sundays and holidays; also good, warm
wooden suit for every day wear at cost Of
$3.50, to be used up In the year, and all
other necessary articles OF good quality.
II the man cannot afford SIS per year he
may dispense with hest oyerCoat, and II
he DO willing to wear very durable satinet
garments In winter he can save from 81 TO
s. on $40. A very warm and durable suit
Of satinet can be purchased for s. 80. None
OF these garments will be OF the Bo.Oalled
'slop-shop" order, made at starya-
ton wages by poor sewing-women. The
fabrics will have paid a profit to the mill
owner; the making Of the garments will
have been profitable TO the clothierj the
cutters will have earned $l6 to $50 per
week, and the sllirtmakers $40 To SO per
week. And the sewing Of the WOODEN gar.
ments will have been done In the farm
houses Of New England, bringing TO the
wives and daughters Of the household q
little money income where 1t Is most
needed.
8. Food. A very economical kind OF lille
Is thus far simple and easy. The difficulty
ariseg the moment we touch the question
Of food, To the working classes-again
using this phrase In its nRrrowest sense
one.hali the price Of life consists In tho
price paid for food.
From the best information which can be
obtained the price Of an adequate supply
Of food served In the ordinary way, either
| In boarding.houses or In workmens fam.
lilies, Is from twenty cents TO thirty cents q
day for the mere cost Of the materials.
How much Is wasted in bad cooking after
the materials are bought each reader can
imagine for himself. The average cost OF
the materials In the cities Of the East Is
not far from twenty-five cents per day.
On larger scale the inmates Of the ailg
Of Massachusetts are supplied with tood
Ia perfectly nutritious and suitable man
ner, the food being,oi excellent quality, at
a cost Of materials Of from thirteen cents
to fifteen cents per day.
Probably no single man Or woman In
Boston or New York could obtain at any
restaurant, or at any cheap boarding.
house, o suitable supply Of nouriBhi6g
food, well cooked, at cost Of less than 80
cents or 80 cents, probably more. In