The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-06-09
Reflections.

discussion of theproblem
Of High Cost of Living. Thelengthy |
articles in the press, the yolumi-
nous suggestions offered by men
in high positions, together with the
opinions expressed on all sides by
the humblest pedestrian o the
wealthy business man, are all SO
diverse and confusing that itseems
practically impossible to know
where to lay the blame, where and
how to CONNIE nee the alienation
Of this problem. There are always
two sides to every question and so
there are two ways of viewing this
problem. One way is to locate and
remove or modify the chief cause
or causes of high cost of living,
land this is what is being done, or
rather what Investigators are try
ing to do.) The other way is to
investigate our mode of living, find
out whether. we are living within
or beyond our earnings. This way,
of course, does not apply to the
millionaire, at least you and would
say. It is the wage-earner, the
artisan. and laborer who are most
affected by this problem of high
cost of living. 1t is the voice of
these people who are raising the
cry Of protest and complaint. That
ninetynine per cent of all wage
earners cannot earn or do not re-
ceive as much money as they find
occasion to spend is an acknowl-
edged fact. The general tendency
among all classes of wages earneTs
| is to initiate and follow the fads
and fashions created by t b e
wealthy class, and more often
farther than they safely can.
! Among the various causes men.
toned as bringing about this high
cost of living, are two or three which
are prominent and should be given
careful consideration. They are
Extravagant waste of raw material
as in ! u m b er and deforestatior
commercial competition and antag
onism among m onopolies ane
7 trusts, which through their vast re
sources, accumulate nd contro
staple products and consequent.
regulate selling prices to suit them
J selves, irrespective Of the extent o
capital in the hands of the consum
e er or purchaser; rapidly increas
ing population and hence ever
growing demand for more supplies
the acknowledgements Of th
country must supply and whic
the retailer, Wholesaler, cold-sto1
- age and packer are fighting to cor
troll. Then the evil of "cornering
the market plays an important pal
in the problem of high cost of Liz
ing, making prices soar; land grail
. bers and landlords in particula
are Misunderstanding their tenan
and the majority Of tenants or rem
n ers are 80 situated as to find it ne
"a essary to yield to this undue raj
of rents, rather than to keep hol
ping from one place to anothe
a. It would seem that the maxim
ge the commercial world is: "Tl
strong must live and thrive and Il
weak suffer"
,;r Away back in the Garden
;, Eden when the forbidden fruit W
eaten and an angry God questio
II ed the culprits, each blamed t
other and even the serpent W
mixed up. Between this and t
present situation of the investie
'fe ton of the problem of high CT
of living, is remarkable analo
as will be seen in this sketch.
10 The investigator relates his
perience like this: The consum
(the public, argues with the
ry- taller over the exorbitant price
the article he is purchasing. l
retailer expostnlates and points
ow the wholesaler as the one respo
ible for the high prices. WI
Mr. Wholesaler is questioned b
ide equally innocent and straighty