The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-09-09
ADVANCED
ON COST PROBLEM
Dealer Says Dry Goods Are
Not Responsible for Liv-
ing Increase.
ARTICLE VII.
Causes Of High Cost Of Living"
Editor of Palladium:

Causes Of High Cost OF Living"
Editor of Palladium:
] have your favor OF the 3lst ult,
and in reply beg to say that SO far is
the dry goods and furnishing goods
lines are concerned-of which l can
speak from actual knowledge-these
are not responsible for the present
high cost of living to any great ex-
tent Staples in these lines one may
buy today at prices very little more
than ruled ten years ago. The high
err cost of living from this source is
caused mainly because we live higher.
Ten years ago silk hosiery was sold
in Richmond in a very limited way,
while today hundreds of dozens are
sold by our merchants annually and
are worn, more or less, by every class
of our citizens. We dress better, and
the average quality of merchandise
sold in Richmond is better than it was
ten years ago
Then we spend more for pleasures.
1t would be interesting to know the
amount of money spent by the people
of Richmond in this line and the
amount so used ten years ago; and il
we add to this the cost of travel and
our vacations, it is easy to see where
an increased proportion of our earn
| ings go.
We give our children better and
longer schooling This is shown by
the great increase in the attendance
of our high school. While the enroll
ment here has increased fifty per
cent the common grades show gain
of only ten per cent over that OF ten
years ago. This adds to the expense
of living, but in these several items
we are putting more into our life, and
though more of our earnings are re-
quired, we cannot expect to enjoy
these privileges without reasonable
additional cost.
Our food supplies which enter SO
| largely into our cost OF living have
increased in price. The staples such
as sugar and coffee have until recent
ly been the bright spot in house
keepers expense and l believe the
present advance will not be long main
taind Other items in this line are
largely the products of our own soil,
so il meats, bread and vegetables have
advanced, the farmer and gardner OF
| Wayne county gets the money and it
| is put into circulation by these through
our own merchants, manufacturers,
and the mechanics who are building
for him better homes and better
barns.
Not all of the money of the prosper
Gus farmer, however, is left at home
where he makes it. Some goes to
the large Department stores in the
large cities, making multi-millionaires
of the few conducting thesesabnormal-
| ly large business enterprises.
The perpetuity of our free institu-
tons and the moral life of our nation
| is becoming more and more endanger-
ed by the vice and corruption bred in
our large cities and our hope lies in
the upbuilding of our smaller cities,
villages and rural communities. To
build our large cities at the expense
of the other, by withdrawing business
support from the smaller stores which
in many instances are the center of
social life of the country district, Will
make farm life less attractive to the
coming generation, driving our popu.
lation to the congested business GEN.
ters and to temptations of which
young men and women knew nothing
when they left home with it's pure air
and bright sunshine
Then if we would learn to pay cash
for what we buy to furnish our homes
instead of buying on the payment plan
with it's expensive methods, something
more would be accomplished to make
us happy. Instead of mortgaging our
next weeks or months earnings to
purchase goods we would have a saw
ings or checking account to draw on.
In closing | want to call attention
to the waste in our living. Too often
food supplies are not used economical
ly and our garbage barrels are in part
the receptacle of many mans hard
earned wages. Ii mothers will com
bine their practical experience with
the training in domestic science our
daughters are now getting in the pub
lie schools, something will be done to-
ward reducing the high cost of living,
without sacrifice in the living
through the elimination of waste.
The cost of living has been in.
creased, but in this connection let us
recognize the fact that we are putting
more into our lives through higher
education, in being better clothed, liv.
ing better, have added pleasures, and
to this let US give due credit.
Cordially yours,
A Citizen.