Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-01-27
COST OF LIVING IS LOWEST in
UNITED STATES,

UNITED STATES.
Every day or so some one tells US
that the cost of living has doubled
and quadrupled until this country
is now the most expensive place on
earth. These statements were made
by free traders and their allies day
and night so persistently that It jar
red on our nerves, SO we have been
gathering up reliable data, which is
presented to our readers with conf
dence that they are correct, and that
somebody has done heap OF ly-
ing"
Mr.. George Parish, editor OF the
London statist, free trade organ, has
recently visited this country and he
wrote his paper on October %. this
statement:
Before leaving for the states !
was asked to ascertain II 1t was a fact
that the wage earners Of America
we're really better off than the wage
earners OF England, or whether the
higher rate of wages Tin the United
states) was not entirely neutralized
by the higher cost Of food, clothing
and rent. have made great many
INQUIRIES on this point, and have come
to the conclusion that the rate OF
wages in this country is much high
er in proportion than In Great Brit
ain, after taking into account the
purchasing power Of the wages, and
that after meeting all expenditures
the wage earners here have a sub
stantial average sum to place in the
savings banks, or to use for the pur'
chase of securities, houses, land
business, etc. There can be no do0bt
that the savings of the masses In
the United States reach large sum
in the aggregate, and largely contri-
butte to swell the savings Of the
union" @
The London Standard quoted the
statement and commented as fol-
lows:
1.-THE annual savings of the nation
are estimated about $1,000, 1000, 900
in the United States; the most sang
uine estimate puts 1t no higher than
800, 100000 annually for Great
Britain"
Here are some prices for board
compiled by the National Associa-
ton Paris:
Boarding In London and other
large English cities, lunch and wash
ing not included, $3.50 per week;
Berlin, full board, washing not in
cluded, $3.50 per month; France,
excepting Paris, where the cost is
greater, about 500 per month; Mad
rid $2S.95 per month; Lisbon $2S.96;
Rome, 1896; Milan, $40 to $780,;
Vienna, $4,000; St. Petersburg,
1880 to $52.11; Odessa, $52.11;
Moscow, 1857; New York City,
$7.72 to 1896 per week; Mexico City
$3.50 per month.
j. w. Kelley writes in the Boston
Herald, after investigating conditions
in Europe for two years, the follow
ing:
Americans can live far more
cheaply than can English or the Ger
man. An income of 50 per day in
this country will give from 20 to
40 per cent better living than the
same income would in any part Of
Western Europe--first, In the way
Of more meats; second, greater var
iety; and third, purer foods. Rents
are also lower In America. In fact,
a man earning 81 a day cannot pos
sIbly find in Europe accommodations
equal to those he would be able to
secure here"
Prices on all necessities have risen
al over the entire world. Rice has
advanced Id Nankiue. China, iSO per
cent, When wages paid and the cost
Of living are considered, the United
States has the balance Of the world
beaten completely.