Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-04

! be necessary to go without things,
but this may be deprivation to the
poor and nigardliness to the rich.
Economy consists in wise expendi-
ture-
Americans are great wealth pro-
ducers; they are well developed in
the art of money making" but are
deficient in the art of economic ex-
penditure. They have had so many
things to enjoy, accessible to all who
use the opportunity to obtain them,
that they are free. careless and
wasteful spenders. They have not
Of the multitude of enjoyable things
offered, those that yield the largest
measure of satisfaction to necessity,
of comfort, or luxury.
The recent high prices should
teach US that it costs US more to live
than is necessary because of a lack
of the art of economic consumption.
Periods of extreme high prices, like
periods of industrial depression,
bring us lessons of economy. We
find that with care in expenditure,
we can obtain that which will yield
large return of happiness on less
expenditure. We cannot have every
thing, and we learn to select econom-
icaIly on the basis of utility and ser
vice.
The instinct for acquisition devel-
ops passion for buying which be-
comes a well defined habit. Multi
tudes follow the advertisements, go
in and out of the great department
stores hunting fer bargains. They
are not happy unless they are buying
something Go to their homes and
find the number of articles purchased
on passing within or desire for nov
city, which do not return one per-
cent on the investment for real ben
eft or pleasure. Books are purchas-
ed which are practically valueIess,
when care in selection would have
obtained q good book at the same
price Furniture and bric-a-brac. Ia
bor-saving inventions selected with
out care, fill cottages and homes,
soon to be relegated to the garnet.
Fashions Change for Revenue Only.
In articles of dress. waste is con-
spicuous. Ruled by the imperious
command of the goddess of fashion,
things must be bought whether need
ed or not Imitation. desire for
show and social demands force peo-
pie to buy the latest style even
though less beautiful than the old.
Clothing thus becomes an extrava-
gance because certain commercially
inclined people VINO make the fash
ions, change them for revenue only.
It is a great art to select the prop
CT combinations of food for the
household, the right quantity and
quality of each, and to cook 1t SO as
to yield the largest possible returns
of pleasure, satisfaction and nourish-
ment. The chemists and household
economists have given us many les
sons which we are slow to learn.
While Europeans cannot be taken as
sample of the best example of pros
perity and happiness, Americans
have much to learn from them in the
economy of consumption. They know
of the proverbial waste Of Americans.
They assert that there is enough food
consumed in the United States to feed
well twice the population If carefully
selected and scientifically prepared.
There is comparatively little scientific
cooking and little attention given to
balanced rations. The food CONSUME
ed would not only keep much larg-
er population, but would keep 1t in
a better way if intelligence and care
were exercised In expenditure, In
cooking and in eating. We want the
best of meats where cheaper meats,
uroperly cooked would be as salts
factory. Cooking as an art is far
behind other arts in its practice.
Many of our best people have met an
early death through big dinners and
general over eating.
Problem of Economic Expenditure.
A few years ago the United States
army officers at Omaha made a test
of endurance on balanced rations. A
number OF able bodied men were Sc
lected. put at severe physical labor,
and scientifically fed on carefully Sc