The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1912-02-10
HIGH COST OF LIVING VS.. HIGH
LIVING.

HIGH COST OF LIVING VS.. HIGH !
LIVING.
George P. Thompson, a leading
grocer of New Orleans
n the course of a recent address,
made the following observations
that are well worth the thought OF
every householder and housekeeper:
The high cost Of living is one OF
the economic conditions that is trou'
hing the American pubic to-day
Who is responsible for it? That IS
the question. One authority says
let's investigated" one says, "LeCS
eliminate the middle-men;" anoth-
er hesitates, but thinks it is the tar
if, but the middleman seems to be
the one of least resistance, therefore
he is being hammered.
It is contended by some that Une
commodities that go to the mousse
wife have increased in the last de-
cade one-quarter, say rs per cent
In many cases, as | see it, it IS
the consumers own fault. 1t has OIL
ten been said, go back to the
farm" I say if the housewife VIII
buy many of the things that seem 10
be higher to-day in the same BULK or
loose shape that she bought them ten
wears ago-sendher own can or crock
to the grocer for lard and butCer'
bottle for syrup; buy her CRACKERS
oatmeal and other refreshments as
mother used to do, there would be a
| different tale to tell.
Goods in Packages.
The sanitarian is recommending 70
the consumer that he buy his goous
| in original packages, and which Is
being generally observed. The "hoie
saler has the package and he has 1ne
bulk goods alos, so have the retail
ers but the people demand package
goods and it is growing with leaps
and bounds. The demand has to Dc
met; the consumer seems to be Will
ing to pay for cardboard or tim cans
Who's to blame? Surely not Inc
dealer. We get no better profit OF
many package goods than we do OF
hulk therefore the howl should stol
in so far as it applies to the Wnote
saler.
The manufacturer, through his ad
vertising, combined with the santa
RAMS work, creates the demand 10
most of the package goods, and We
in turn. have to supply it. AS an II
iustration of what the consumer is u
against: Take this package of crack
ers, which you know is the best ad
vertised biscuit on the market today
it contains twenty-five crackers
weight 4 81 to 5 ounces (Welght O.
the package; no mistaking it, 70
can buy a better quality Of loose Dis
cult in a bag, get thirty crackers o
more weight, eight ounces, for tn
same money, which shows a loss t
the consumer OF over 60 per cen
Take this package of ginger snaps
You and | know that there is no be
ter advertised article anywhere ina
Z it is. It is plainly marked to contal
E four ounces-you can obtain e1ef
s ounces of better ones for the sam
money. A hundred per cent loss
S the housewife Take the best paci
E age coffee substitute, said to be mac
s of wheat, bran and molasses; thin
5: of this concoction, the combinatio
s not even cattle food; cattle, frol
E their several stomachs, can get nou
s ishment from bran, we cannot. In
s mixture sells to the consumer (elg
8 teen ounces) for twenty-five cent
= costing the manufacturer about fiN
s cents to make it. 1t cannot be co
: sidered necessity or compared Wi
6 coffee for the same retail value;
s is not a substitute and never hi
s been, yet-many housewives buy
"a Why? The advertising does tt
aa work, nothing else. Twentieth ce
"a fury advertising would sell pest hol
Or wagon tracks.
A can of lard that cost the consul
q er 81 to $1.25 can be duplicated
weight and quality, in bulk, in D
9 own can, for sixty-five cents, a sa
81 ing to the consumer Of over IS p
u cent. Take the brand of packa
rolled oats, which costs the consul
er twenty ounces) ten cents, CT