Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-12-13
WHY 1T COSTS TO LIVE.
Howard Ram Tells i'm a Humorous
Vein Why it Costs SO Much
to Live Nowadays.

|
sible for the high cost of living,
am for its reduction, and it can
come any too quickly to suit me.
1t has become popular pastim
to make a goat of the tariff. 1t
blamed for all the ills of life, from
the jump in diamonds to an attacl
of shingles. But other things ma,
have something to do with it. Fo
instance:
Incidence and luxury have in
creased in this country out of al
proportion to the incomes of thu
people. Twenty years ago it was tn,
rarest thing in the world to find {
shoe shining ''parlor" outside of the
largest cities. They are now il
every hamlet, and thousands of mer
and boys do nothing else. There are
probably not less than fifty in the
city of Des Moines, all doing a thriv-
ing business. Men are too lazy Oh
too proud to shine their own shoes
and have bred a new industry.
Nothing used to be thought of it
if man or woman was seen with a
bundle going to or from market.
Now everything must be delivered
to the house. 1t is impossible to
persuade young chap or a pretty
girl to be seen on the streets with
the workmen, and father pays the
freight.
The towns and cities are full of
moving picture shows, nickelodeons,
vaudeville, 10, 20 and SOC theatres
Whole families go night after night,
and follow it up with little supper
that consumes days wages. The
parks are crowded and the street
car takes its toll Nobody thinks
of walking for two blocks nowadays
if he is anywhere near car line.
The old fashioned wife who used to
press her husbands and children's
clothes has gone out. Pantoriums
have sprung up and taken her place.
The girl of 1890 who would expect
to wear silk stockings and petticoats,
and the boy who demanded five or
six suits of clothes year would have
been considered crazy, but now they
are as common as cinch bugs in
June. Everything eatable must be
dressed and trimmed up nowadays
People want their crackers in a pink
box, with a picture of a ballot dane.
er or a pugilist on the cover, anG
they pay for the box when they buy
the crackers. The grocery stores arr
filled with expensive novelties which
go like hot cakes. A few years ag
toysCers ana grape fruit ana orange
out of season and cantelopes and ic
cream were considered luxuries
They are on every day. The youni
man who does not take his girl
coo box of candy done up in cur
papers and pair of tongs is a tigh
wad. Father buys porterhouse steal
where piece of the neck used t
look good to him.
Nobody thinks of keeping his owI
horse or COW or planting his ow
potatoes. The most popular son
of the era is: Let Somebody Els
Do the Work" The automobile ha
cost its thousands where the TART
has cost its tens. A man can't rid
a distance of fifty miles without pat
ronizing the parlor car. Nobod
thinks of carrying a lunch on tn
train if there is a dining car any
where on the division. The ma
that wears the same necktie two day
in succession is called a RUDE an;
the woman who can't show up hal
a dozen party dresses costing from
$40 to $50 per, has about as mucl
show in the society push as a shoat
People used to have their shoes hal
soled. Now they wear them unit
the gloss is dimmed, then throw
them in the attic. The $50 cleo
trio vacuum cleaner has pushed tn,
broom off the map, and the electri
fan and ironer have put the palm
leaf and the sad iron out of bust
ness. This ad infinitum.
Ram in Manchester Press.