The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-07-28

creased standard Of living 1t is true
that at the present time we regard as
necessaries what yesterday were !:,xu-
ries. This increase in the standard Of
l1v1ng Is but the product of civilian
''on, however, and Is something to he
encouraged rather than DISCOURAGED
Furthermore, it Is responsible in but
small degree for the increase in the
cost OF living. The increase in the
standard of living has manifested it.
sell most strongly in better houses.
better clothing and more conveniences.
let the great Increase in cost has been
not In these materials. but in food.
Between July /, 1896, and Jan. /. 1910.
breadstuffs and live stock increased in
price 10o per cent. During the same
PERIOD the increase in the textiles was
73 per cent, in metals IS per cent and
IN building materials only Is per cent.
That luxurious living has had much
| to DO with the increased prices cannot
be denied. That it is wholly RESPONSE
| BILE is far from the truth.
! II we are to seek the real cause of
this crisis that confronts our country
| we must go back to the old cause of
supply and demand, coupled with other
factors that have grown out Of this
The period from 1870 to 1895 was the
| period of development Of the middle
west, the bread basket of the world.
| Here were lands of unparalleled fer
t1llty that had merely to be scratched
! 10 give forth their bountiful supplies.
! The result was that the markets of the
world we're flooded with foodstuffs.
| BY 1896 the middle west was pretty
well settled. The bloom Of its virgin
fertility had been removed. Soon the
days Of using corn for fuel and wheat
to feed the hogs we're past. Prices of
farm products began to rise. If there
had been no other factor entering in
they would soon have reached nor
have come with little trouble. Unfor-
tunately the tide of population toward
the cities had become too strong to be
turned in day.
Prom 1880 to 1900 the percentage OF
farmers decreased from 44.3 to 1856
decrease of 81 per cent. During the
same period the percentage of persons
engaged in manufacturing increased
from 1.S to 24.9. This increase Of 3.
per cent is no more than normal ant
may be accounted for by the increas,
in the standard of living and the con
se0uent demand for manufactured ar
ticles. The increase in professional
lines during this time was eighteenth
Of per cent, while the number of per
sons engaged in domestic and persona
service decreased one-tenth Of / pc
cent.
The great increase came in the mum
Der of persons engaged in trade ant
transpOrta ton, an increase Of SIS pc
/ cent. OF the 1853 per cent of the work
ing people engaged in trade and trans
portation in 1900 only nine-tenths wer
engaged in transportation proper. TIL
others, 1914 per cent of all the peopl
Of the United States who work, wer
simply middlemen. Complete figure
since 1900 are not available, but til
/ cityward trend has increased rattle
than diminished.
Here is the true explanation Of til
high cost Of living. There are NOR
: than one-third as many men engage
In distributing food as there are
producing it. The consumers dolls
is worn thin before it gets to the pr
|. ducer The 100000 men who far
must supply food to the 100000 Pc
pie who are working in the facterie