New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-02
MONEY THROWN AWAY
BY J. HAMPTON MOORE
Member of Congress from Pennsylvania

and since then this item has gone into hundreds Of mil
lions.
These are but few of the cOStOf-living figures that
were brought to me in the cold-storage Investigation
and by business men who accurately informed con-
corning that of which they spoke The general showing
indicates that Americans ready to adorn the WIND
with banknotcs and gold dollars. We fing our money
away for pleasure amusement and luxury, for the non
necessities OF HE.
OF course in a discussion Of the money spent for such
pleasures and luxurcs do not lose sight Of the tact
that the business Of producing these commodities gives
employment to hundreds of thousands Of men and
women. | cite them merely to show that the American
people do not hesitate fling their money in every dl-
rcction in pursuit Of the things they like
Naturally the merchant the salesman, seeing this
readiness to part from money, says to himself "Iheyi!
throw away for things they don't have to have II
that's true they'll stand a raise on the commodities
they actually need.
WITH extravaganza, as have already pointed out,
w travels self indulgence that vague something
which leads hcman woman 10 say, whcnconfronted
with task "Oh, let George do it. Don't bother me.
Take the automobile habit. The statistics on auto
mobiles show that pathcticaly large number Of people
have bought machines when they could not afford the
luxury and have finally had to give them up 1t IS now
almost safe assumption that nine out OF ten men able
to buy an automobile will do So whether they live on
farm in Kansas or reside in big city. man need not
be close observer Of human nature to realize that the
taxcab habit is spreading beyond the limit OF many
peoples purses. How often are we confronted with the
Slg0t OF young lcLDN EulbuII4C'I III ~ "I' Va
cigarette smoke dashngu and down the streets IN taxi!
And the self indulgence Of the young and the old IN
automobiles and taXlcabs is ccucnt IN countless other
WAYS. We have now come TO the time when we must
hire messenger boys and portcrs TO carry our bundles
There are few men who mend chair or fix the
plumbing or keep the front yard in good condition 1t
is always case Of "Givc the quarter, or dollar,
or whatever it may be, for the job. We no longer 90
for ourselves rs the older generation did.
It is natural condition in view Of other conditions
We are pcrpctually too busy making money because
we are anxious 10 get out and throw 1t away. Our
mode Of eating has even changed There hundreds
Of thousands Of people who no longer dine at home.
They prefer the dining rooms Of fashionable hotels or
the gay atmosphere Of cafes They do not pay for the
food alone When they settle for the BILL they contrib
ute to the support Of the orchestra behind the banks Of
ferns and palms the huge clusters OF electric lights and
the walters and in addition 20 this they also chip in on
the high rental Of the building.
In nutshell we throw away money for the things
DO not need and do get for ourselves the things
DO need. Consequently, We pay many times over
for the things We have 10 have
THAT is where the great problem Of cold storage
in. Realizing | do, the habits Of Americans
NOWADAYS | sometimes wonder To- what We should be
reduced without cold storage; and realize most kceny
how the institution has been forced into being. Take
beef a commodity We AL need Beef the hoof does
not cost so mach than It formerly did But We DO
not RAISE It in the East in any apprccabc quantity, and