Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-11-07

Estimated That tho Average Rriton Lives
$50 a Year.

Estimated That tho Average priton Live.
on $50 Year.
An active man, comfortably fed
and clothed, writes William Muir,
consumes about three pounds of sol
ids and four pounds of fluids per
day and wears out about two suits
of clothes in a year.
The value of agricultural produce
garnered in the United Kingdom and
consumed by its human beings,
taken at present farm prices, is (per
snnum) about $3.50, 900, 900. The val.
no of agricultural products imported
from abroad and similarly consum.
ed, taken at similar prices, is Cpor
annum) about 92O0, 600, 900. This
includes cotton and wool. The value
of GOAL similarly consumed-burned
for domestic purposcs-taken at the
full mine value of s Shillings por
ton, is (per annum) about ZIG, 900, =
600. The sum spent in keeping
dwelling houses in repair is (per an
num) about G1O, 600, 600.
The total of these sums is &456,
900, 600 and is the cost of the nation
for years food, clothing, firing
and shelter. In other words, it is
the sum paid by the total population
to those who have direct access to
nature, who labor and garner her
products for all. Manufacturing,
distributing and retailing add about
so per cont to these values, but tho
addition docs not concern us.
Four hundred and fifty six million
pounds divided by the population,
IS, 600, 600, gives ZIP per head, which,
therefore, is the value of the prod
uotS of nature annually consumed
in the United Kingdom by one hu.
man being, taking both soxeS and
all ages and ranks together. In other
words, this sum is the annual aver
age cost of u person. Expenditure
in the United Kingdom averages $50
per hoad, but Els Of this pays for
services, not produCtS-Srrviccs such
as the manufacturing, distributing
and retailing referred to above and
other services, all of which support
persons who have no direct access
to the soil and who therefore must
pay others for thcir share of its
products
Rich and poor men are of the same
size. A millionaires stomach and
back are anatomically identical with
those of laboring man. Therefore
equal numbers of rich and poor con-
sumo equal weights of produce in
equal times. But this is not tho
same thing as equal values. We
have just seen that tho average an.
nual value is E12, and we may fair
ly take it that the case of the agri.
cultural laborer will give us the
minimum value. An average Brit
ish family is husband, wife and
three children.
The income of an agricultural la.
borer's faL.ily (caSh and perquisites)
can fairly 90 taken at ESQ a year.
Of this they will pay about half for
services not productS) to nonagri-
cultural workers, who may be sum-
med up as grocer, draper, school.
master, builder and policeman, so
that we have f25 left as the cost of
the food, clothing, firing and shelter
of such IL family valued us above.
Say husband e., wife IS, three chill
dren "a each. This is u minimum.
Much consideration has led me to
decide that as a maximum we may
fairly take the imaginary case of a
man who lives entirely on the most
costly agricultural produce that is
garncrod in quantity-namely, beef
steaks ut sixpence per pound, farm
value. AT three pounds per day
such n mans annual cost for food
will DO E27; fl3 more, which would
make f40 in all, will cover every
thing else he personally consumes,
for he shares his big house with
SCORES of other people and parts with
his clothes to others while they are
as good as new.
We may therefore fairly conclude
that the cost of man in Great Brit
ain is about:
Per annum.
Minimum. ..............A e.