Waco evening news. (Waco, Tex.) 1888-1889, 1889-04-18
Doctor and Prophet.


In The Forum for April are two pape.s,
side by side, that attract attention. One
Is by that cheerful statistician Of Ameri-
can manifest destiny, Mr.. Edward At
kinson. He shows how the poor can ma
terially improve their condition in the
matter Of food.
The two articles, indirectly discussing
the same theme, are in striking contrast.
The second is by Rev. William Barry,
and Is entitled "Signs of Impending
Revolution"
chow many cooks are there who
know what food to buy and how to cook
it," This is Mr.. Atkinson's opening
question. He does not answer it himself.
We do not know, but we hope that with
the constant labors of Miss Juliet Corson
and the cooking classes everywhere the
number is rapidly increasing Certainly
fair, plump Americans are much more
common than they were twenty-five
years ago.
Mr.. Atkinson says that five cents
day per head is very small estimate to
make for the loss arising from innutri
tious food and bad cooking. He believes
that on food working people can best
economic and yet live better than they
do now. They cannot we'll economic ON
clothing or rent.
A typical community Of 5000 persons
is supposed to exist. In such COM
munity Sl09, 800 can be saved in q year
If all the women were good cooks and
knew what to buy. twenty-five cents q
day is estimated as the cost of food per
individual
In family of six persons, five cents >
day saved to each member would amount
to S109.50 in year. If, now, the mascu-
line members of the family gave up
liquor and tobacco they could save $43.s 80
more, since the average Of the whole
country for liquor and tobacco is over
four cents per head. Counting half that
sum to his typical family, Mr.. Atkinson
makes $4Ss0 additional. This, with the
saving from well cooked, judiciously
bought food, makes $153.S0. This sum
will then be the working mans saving an
nually. Thus independence would be-
come his.
Mr.. Atkinson's figures simply show
what might be done. But when laborers'
wives are wise enough to make twenty
cents worth Of food serve better than
twenty-five cents worth now does, when
laborers are self denying enough to give
up beer and tobacco, there will then be
no need Of philosophers to tell them what
to do.
In q far different vein speaks Rev.
William Barry, the prophet. He sees in
our time the signs Of an impending rev.
olution. 1t will be "an economic revo-
luton, having for its purpose the redis-
tribution Of wealth on o reasonable ba-
Sis" The introduction Of the spinning
jenny in 1778 began an era of economic
slavery to which history affords no par
allel-the factory system.
~AASeSS ASAsA eAA0 AAouc, Oub d tLcy
are made there is class sinking lower
and lower and every year growing larger
and more desperate. The rich. neither
men nor women, know or care anything
of social economies. Religious influence
is steadily declining IN this lowest class,
SO is regard for government authority.
With this constantly increasing class
beneath them, those who make haste to
be rich regardless Of God, man or con-
science, are walking over earthquakes.
They (the lower class) viii be demanding the
solution OF that great and scandalous problem
whereby, though production has increased three
or four times III much as the mouths they should
I'LL, those mouths are empty. The backs It should
clothe are naked, the heads 1t should shelter
homeless, the brains 1t should feed dull or criminal
and the soulsitshould help to save british.
great change Is coming; 1t Is even now at the
doors. Ought not men Of good will to consider
how they shall receive 1t, 90 that its coming may
be peaceable!