Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-11-05
A FATHERS COST OF LIVING 40
YEARS AGO, AND SONS TO-DAY.
Modest Comparisons to Show that Luxufles
Of 40 Years Ago Have Become Neces-
sites Because Others Have Them.

probably demand much more.
The father paid $50 for mclodc"n
f"r his daughter and it was about the
limit in those days but the son did not
consider 4 $3.50 piano too good for his
son and that had to be supplemented
with a Victor Talking machine.
| doubt if the father had baby
carriage for his children, but the son
was not satisfied with anything less
than a $25 outfit for his baby.
When the son was a child his cart
was made of u box on trucks sawed
from a round stick of cordWood, but
his son had a cart and a Wheclbarrow,
costing several dollars, and later had
$50 worth of bicycles.
When the son began to shave. a dol
lar razor was good enough. but he
thought a 81 safety razor the proper
thing for his son.
The father had a favorite cat but |
do not think il had anything to eat
except the ltavingS of the table. and
milk. The son has a cat Of which he
is very fond but which has developed
an appetite for boiled fresh cod, and
its qualification costs as much as the
support q heather girl
The father had no vacation c<;Drn-
Sos to meet, for vacations were un-
known except as q man Of family
went on i blucbcrry or fishing trip.
TIL" ION and his family do not travel
much but iii" cost Of owning cot
tagr and what th"y d" 20 from home
mus, average nearly $l"o Il year
The father owned a fur coat be-
cause his profession demanded ii:
otherwise he would not have had one
tn" son had Il good cloth ovcrcnat
but thought II fun lined on would De
more comfortable $" he bought one,
and only regretted that Ii" had not
done 50 before
IN" father did not think it beneath
him to wear q coat which his wife had
turned, for other men did. but if the
son should do 50 his creditors would
i" looking him VI and 50 his clothes
are given away when they show much
signs of wear.
ThH fathers shirts We're mad" by
lis wife who also did them IN" The
son must hay" hi custom mad" and
his laundry bill is uIiitt. an item. The
sons yearly bill for collars, cuffs. tics.
ho*", ste, would hay" mad" his father
think twice.
I'D" fathers profession compelled
him IT, keep . horse. The son >rens
on" for ll"a$ur" ANA instead Of being
satisfied with one carriage as the
father was. h" has tire" of v1rio,,s
Kinds which demand more harness
tf"n tn" father had
WcbSt"r'S unabridged dictionary
supplied the needs Of the fathers
l"mliN year after year regardless, of
lcNlSl"hS' but the son must have Il
N'""t"tS dictionary, a Century die
tNnArN and cN"lop"lia and numerous
"'h"r books of reference. not t. men
'l"h miscellaneous books and maya
|Ih"s far i'll excess of what the father
had.
III addition t" what | have mention
"d are increased taxes caused by tb.
demand for better roads. better fire
protection, better schools. sewers. etc
Many Of the items that have
nav" enumerated in my comparison
az" TN" result "f tho higher standard
=. living I" which ! alluded in the be-
Si"hiilG The father did without thcn,
ana IN" son could but does not caro-
- IN TACT many of the Injuries of
n years az" have become necessities
leaving the father and son. can
hchtioh numerous items that increase
tne cost OF living today over what if
was. or course the automobile is an
important one with many Dcoplc M
therc are smaller things that go r.
MAKE the aggregate large. things
ppuSht by people with only avoraao
incomes The advertising pages Of
the magazines contain many of tb.so
''cniS-h "dakS, talking machines
safety razorS, fin" confectionery frn
'olIet preparations. and scores of
'hihss that have large sales TODAY Al,
were unknown a few years az, ~
mad limited sale.
ana there are small items thar can
pe mentioned such as tickets to tbo
moving picture shows, post cards
"hich with the necessary postage az
eiesate many thousands of dollars
seai1y' daily papers, etc, etc.
All these things take our money
now many of them are actual necos.
sues | will let my readers decide
l.. P. EVANS
In piScat