Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1910-03-17

lhb lDl tht plFitEt vi having lIc0u
apples nearly every day in the year.
This is a convenience and pays him
who makes it possible. This is true
of all other fruits and vegetables IN
slightly different way 1t is true
of eggs. They travel a long way,
go through many hands and fire.
quently are somewhat travel worn
No doubt the storage people take the
highest price the market will bear
when they dole out commodities to
the retailers. At least 1t is sug-
gestive of their power when it is
known that there we're 100000
more eggs in storage in January,
1910. than in January, 1909, yet the
price of eggs in 1910 is nearly
double the price of 1909. Waste and
Inconvenience to the individual are
turned over to shippers, commission
men, ETC., and the consumer pays a
good price for convenience.
CORN MEAL NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
Take another instance. the question
of breakfast foods. Corn meal is one
of the most wholesome nourishing
breakfast foods, as well as one of the
cheapest. Many people spurn it and
buy roasted corn flakes or some other
patent breakfast food at from three
to ten times the cost of corn meal be-
cause they are put up in appetizing
form in Dashboard box supposed TO
be insect proof Several dealers, sew
eral railways, and a large. over
capitalized concern must be paid for
the convenience.
AS one more example of different
kind, take automobiles. 1t is esti-
mated that 10000 cars will be con
structed in 1910, involving an outlay
of over S175,OOO.OOO and working
army of many thousand men. To
certain extent these care will be used
in commercial way to satisfy business
needs However. they probably will
not give a strictly economic return
on over 10 per cent of the investment.
All the rest is devoted to the increas-
ed delight Of living. They may add
to health if their users keep on the
upper side of the machine This IS
great economic expenditure to
satisfy a new desire, but it gives little
economic return.
BETTER LIFE COSTS MORE.
Again. the telephone becomes
necessity. We save time and energy
by its use This is an economic saw
ing 1t simply brings business and
increases economic production Yet
it must be paid for by the user aud
means an increased expense. If he
can turn the time and energy saved
into money, it is a good thing. But
he must have an increased income TO
pay the bill.
Instances might be multiplied.
showing how many things we nov
have to enjoy what formerly we did
not have We have a better life bnt
It costs more. There are important
points to be observed from these ex-
amples. Armies of men who must
save wages, great corporations with
millions of capital which must have
interest, and thousands of promoters
and managers who must have profits
are paid to provide the greater en-
ioyment, to satisfy increasing desires
for better life Bankers. lawyers,
traders. physicians, teachers, miners.
preachers. business managers, trans
porters. manufacturers, etc. compose
an ever increasing number to be fed
and clothed by the products of the
soil Unless there is proportionate
increase in agricultural products. the
latter are high Therefore, prices of
agricultural products are at present
higher relatively than prices of other
commodities.
INCOME INADEQUATE.
Another thing to be noticed is that
the improved standard of living de-
mands a continually increased out
lay and a continuous income if the
individual lives a normal life. 1t is
impossible to satisfy all Of the econ
oimc desires arising from this
active, expanding, modern life. But
certain of them must be satisfied in
order that the individual shall have
normal progressive life-the chief
aim of our civilization. To do this.
income should keep pace with the
cost of living according to an ordi-
nary standard of life Granted that
a person can live no better today on
$1,000 per annum than fifteen years
ago on $500. he must have over
$1,000 now if he have any benefit of
the increased standard of living if
his expanding desires receive any re-