Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-02

~INCE the DAYS of Adam it has been the
fashion for human beings to credit
@S@N their mlSfOrtuneS to the deeds and
NT[2SN misdeeds of Others and in the last
0N&\Ha few wears it has been special fad
MSa6AN among Americans to lament the
U9ZN@A high cost of living and to place the
kY00SNME blame for such conditions the
lN|SglMI tariff, the trusts, and any other
Wl9GIW agencies conveniently at hand.
W&V There is yet to be heard an admis-
wv sion from the people of the United
"a ~ O. States that they, collectively and
~ - individually, IN any way response
BILE for the HIGH and in cases
0H9 enormous prices they pay
ing for foodstufs and the other
necessities of life But of fact extravaganza
has be national habit among and self in
diligence the natural child of extravaganza has walked
hand in hand with willingness to spend money,
willingness that at times amounts to eagerness. Wher-
you find people ready to part from their money,
there also will YOU discover other people the alert to
get the fugitive coin. Wherever money flows freely,
prices rise rapidly
1t has been said that nation money mad,
bent only the accumulation of wealth, the building
up of great fortunes. This is only half truth We
also money spending mad people. We get riches, and
throw them away. Last year the population of the
United States "bew in" twenty-five millions OF dollars
for chewing enough money to build great bridges
or to dig canals for the increase of and bust
ness enough money to build and equip canal thirty
five feet deep and reaching from Baltimore to Phia-
delphia
In the fiscal year of 1908 we spent 1913 1877 for
intoxicating drinks: Of this total S63S ITO 1854 went
and imported For beer and other malt liquors
pended $9lS, O23, 2S7.
NV attention was first drawn to the cost-ofliving
problem in the last session of Congress- when chair
man of subcommittee of the House Committee the
District of Columbia, l had opportunity to go thor
oughly into the question of the cold storage OF food
products This led naturally to the general subject of
why it cost the people of the United States much to
eat and dress and have homes.
THE item of twenty-five million dollars year for
chewing gum given me by man SO intimately
connected with the business that there be ques
ton of its accuracy In similar in the course of
my inquiry, found equally astonishing facts. In the
twelve months of 1905 the people of this country ate
candy and confectionery that cost eghtyseven million
dollars, amount sufficient to put string of inland
waterways up and down the Atlantic seaboard. They
spent almost twice that amount for the conmod
ties in 1910. The diamonds rings, gold chains, and
other articles of jewely bought for sweethearts
wives and daughters during the last five years footed
up than twice the amount needed to dig the
Panama Canal Our bill for soda water and other non
Intoxicating beverages has amounted to three hundred
and twenty million dollars in a single year.
Official figures compiled by the United States Gov
eminent show that in 1905 three hundred and thirty
million dollars spent for cigars cigarettes chew
ing tobacco and snuff by the country in which we live
AS far back the year l9O5) the automobile bill
of the country of thirty millions of dollars