The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-03-25
CUT THE COST OF LIVING
HOW CAN 1T BE DONE DISCUSSED
BY SOCIAL HEADS.
Trouble Is the Women Have Been
Taught to Buy the Most Ex-
pensive Things.

! Chicago, March 2l.-NOw for the
crucial test of social leadership: Will
| Washington and New York and Boston
not to mention Pittsburg, follow the
lead of Chicago where household econ
omy not only has become paramount
problem in most exclusive circles but
quite 1.-The thing No less social
parsonage than Mrs. Potter Palmer
has opened her home to a chatting dish
affair, at which the guests were of the
social elect. The Chicago Womans club,
one of the largest organizations of its
kind in the country, which numbers
among its membership some of the
city's most influential women, has be-
come vitality interested i'll the subject
But will society in general follow
even as u Lenten fad this conspicuous
example? Will the dictates of pru-
dcnce triumph where lavish display has
revcled? The lecture at Mrs. Palmer's
magnificent home, Miss Anne Barrows,
declared that the problem was ''thc
cost of high living and not the high
cost of living" If Chicago can lead
in things social the movement is on,
kitchen economy will come in for con
sidcration i'm most brlliant setting soon
throughout the east and west. As it
lis subject in high standing abroad,
in England. France and other countries
the prediction is made that Il new
milestone has been passed in American
standards of what is proper and
good form
Waste and Extravaganza.
Miss Burrows declared: Waste and
|eNtravagance in purchasing meats,
fruits and vegetables accounts in great
part for the increased cost of living.
Persons demand the choice cuts of
beef, while other parts could be pro
|cured cheaper and when properly pre-
pared would be as Dourishing and as
paatablc. There is a great waste in
buying flesh fruits where dried fruits
would be as good if properly prepared
The trouble with American women"
declared Mrs, Edward J.. Upton, prcsi-
dent of the Women's club at a meet
ing cnlivened by arguments for domes-
tic economy in preference to other top
les, is that we have been taught TO
buy only the most expensive things,
even when we cannot afford them
just because we think we will be los
ing caste if we try TO be frugal.
"-rhe cost of living problem will be
solved when we get rid of some of our
false pride, which even extends to the
things we eat as well as the things
we have to wear. There is no disgrace
i'll serving other cuts of meat than
porterhouse or sirloin steak or loin
roasts. That is commendable economy.
The disgrace is in being wasteful We
all know that it is not possible because
it is high to cut meat from our diet
especially from the menu of the work
ing people.
If Women Knew How to Buy.
Mrs. William II. Tyler, chairman Of
the home department of the club thinks
the meat question is the most import
ant part of the living problem. "if
women knew how to buy meats intel
ligently," she said, land prepare them
properly there wouldn't be such an
cutlery against high prices"
''Just because there are expensive
cuts is nc reason why every woman
should think she would lower her dig
nifty by buying anything else. Eggs
are cheap food, butter isn't very eX-
pensive now, and Il good and nourish
ing meal can be prepared at moderate
cost by using the rump, chuck or
or other so-calIcd cheaper
cuts of meat. Dried beef, though APP
parently costly, is cheap because of It's
nutritive value, and it can be used as
I he In, sis for many delicious dishes y