The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-01-06

now. But groceries were generally
higher, sugar costing ten cents
pound or nearly double the present
price; and so were manufactured ar
ticles such as dry goods, crockery and
glassware, plated-ware and so on. In
the years since then invention and the
more extended application of power
machinery have done a vast deal to
reduce the cost of manufacture in
practically all lines, and so far the
buying power of the gold dollar of
today has been greatly extended over
that of the paper dollar of thirty-five
years ago But this is not sufficient
to offset the reduced power of the
present dollar over staple food arti-
cles and rents.
In other ways the present dollar
has lost power over the requirements
of the average household. For eX-
ample, an increase came, to this fam
lily, and while the birthnotice charge
of twenty-five cents was the same as
now, and the physicians charge $25,
about the same as now, a nurse was
had for three weeks at total cost
of $50, or little more than what now
has to be paid per week. 1t was not
trained nurse then, or as good a
one probably, as would be employed
today; but it is as true now as then
that the best must be had, and the
best then cost $40 a week, and now
costs $25 or Whereabouts.
Facing finally the direct question:
Can you save as much out of your
wages today as you could thirty-five
years ago?-the owner of this account
that he could save perhaps more if
the absolute necessaries of life alone
are taken into consideration. What
troubles hi mis- not so much the bare
necessities as the many little luXur.
les and distractions and amusements
that have developed in every social
circle of today which were largely un.
known thirty-five years ago. There is
the telephone; every else" has one
so must we. There is the street cal
which now appeals to people ever
within easy walking distance between
home and place of employment. There
are the theatres, at all prices; while
in the family account of thirty-fvt
years ago there are but two or three
entries in two years of theatre eX.
penditure, fifty cents each. And so il
goes all along the line of daily liv
ing-former luxuries now being ne
cessaries, and new luxuries and di
versions crowding forward. The av
erage house now has and must have
many more conveniences, but it costs
more; it is better lighted, but at in
creased expense; it is better warmed
than it was in those older days will
stoves, and wood, or coal at about thu
present prices, but more coal is need
ed to warm it better. Everybody
else" has these things, so must we.
The truth of the matter seems tt
be, then, that while wages as rule
may be higher even than they were
in the paper money era; and while
the dollar then might not go mucl
further than now in providing the ac
tual necessaries for living; the dol
lar of today will not go nearly as fal
in the command of that whole rang,
of family expenditure which the so
cial surroundings of each one fairl.
imposes upon him. And the averag,
wage, therefore, while it mas riser
materially, as compared at least will
a dozen or fifteen years ago. has no
kept pace with the growth of thes,
more or less unnecessary demand.
which are being imposed on all of IL.
by the expanding material and socia
conditions of the time Undoubtedl,
more money can be saved each veal
now than formerly; but this como
be done without such social sacri
flee as the average person will no
submit to, or would not have sub
mitted to thirty-five years ago, or a
any other period in human existence
1t will accordingly be we'll for the du,
replenishment of the country's funt
of floating capital year by year if
slower pace is struck in the race TO
new luXuries and diversions and nov
elites and sensations.