The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-10-17
Old Economy Not a
bod Of Accommodating
cath, But a Means
Preventing I auperism

through the thousand-and-one etceteras
with which we have been quieted until
the soothing syrups have lost their ef-
ficacy.
The man is intelligent, and he had be
gun TO take the state OF the market Sc
riously before ! awcke to the stubborn
facts in the case.
He talked to me Of the increased cost
Of breadstuffs and feed; of the conse-
quent rise in. butter and milk, ana IN
cattle Of all kinds; Of the absolute ne
cessity that farmhends and day labor
ers IN other departments should receive
higher wages to keep the life in them
selves and families.
tits like a row of bricks-dont you
see, ma ann" he wound up by saying
IF one goes down, the rest must tum-
bic. Where is it all to end?' with de-
spairing shrug. I've long ago given up
guessing as to thatF
I thanked him, and (perhaps migrate
fully ordered q piece Of beef for pot
roast, instead of the spring lamb l had
promised myself for Sundays dinner.
Then 1 went home deep in thought, and
sat me down that evening for second
reading of the editorial ] had scarcely
glanced at at breakfast time.
Here is a lurid sidelight gained by the
second perusal;
"a few weeks ago a New York news
paper reported that hundreds of small
UultHEf Sugpd III Tie CITY nave bCOlA
closed simply because the increase from
to cents a pound in the price Of meat
mas put it altogether out of the reach OF
thousands Of people"
A significant and gruesome item Of In
formation succeeds the announcement;
"a Washington estimate was that the
advance amounted to an increase Of
81, 100000 in the daily receipts of the Beef
Trust"
This very plain and familiar talk with
-Hlor of1 1or
Cor sink0 to the contemplation of the
stupendOus figures / quote in close con-
nectiOn with the paltry rise of cents
per pound in the poor mans meat.
One phrase in the extract with which
my Talk begins must Tivet the attention
of the least thoughtful reader who has
natural pride in his native land:
THE Era Of Waste has ended
We fell into the habit of regarding
ourselves as q thrifty people so long ago
that the imputatiOn stings our self-lOYe.
Out of a wilderness we have created a
paradise that challenges the admiration
of the world. We are proud Of our nat
ural resources and vain OF the genius
and industry that have developed them.
Has prosperity made US wasteful? No
need to put the question to those who
have stud ed the social and domestic
economies Of other countries. American
Drodigalitv abroad is a byword and
Kissing among the nations. American
extravaganza at home is not confined to
the rich by Inheritance ana by specula-
ton Nor, let me remark, to the shift
less poor.
In my Talk Of last week I defined the
term. "Our Great Middle Class" The
Era Of Waste has prevailed with them
as truly as with the rich who have more
money than they know how to spend
and the poverty-ridden who live from
hand to mouth. Our national proverbs
reflect this unfattering truth. We sheer
at "candle-end savers" We aver that
such and such q one would skin a flea
for his hide and tallow." The returned
tourist relates, with scOrnful glee, how
he saw an English ''tripper'' in Switzer-
land put the remnants of the candles,