The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-06-01
SATURDAY, JUNE I, 1912.
cosT OF LIVING.


The high cost Of living is a serious
question. The complaints are not
confined to this city. They are made
everywhere. There are certain condi-
tons, however, that may influence the
cost Of living in Fargo.
Fargo has a national reputation as
the Biggest Little City in the World.
It is entitled to it-but this must be
maintained. Fargo has lost some Of
its actual residents-and other people
planning to locate here have not done
so-because of the high cost of living.
While IL is dificult to tell where n
may go to escape the increased cost Of
extstence-there are undoubtedly some
places people can live more cheaply
than In Fargo. They may not present
all the advantages to be gained by a
residence here-but IL the cost Of Nv
ing is cheaper-some other towns viii
be BENEFITED and Fargo will be the loser.
1t Is equally true that 1t costs more
to live in Fargo than it should. This
city should be a city of homes. It
possesses many advantages over other
places in the state or northwest, Far
go should solve the problem Of cheaper
living and a great advance step will
be made in increasing its population.
The Forum has always been an ar
dent advocate Of pure food regulations.
1t believes that the pure food laws
have already been Of great benefit to
the health Of North Dakotans-and as
long as they are as rigidly enforced as
at present they win be a constant safe
guard.
Incident to the enforcement of pure
food law and the protection of the
health and the lives Of Fargo people
was the enactment by Fargo Of meat
and milk inspection ordinances. The
principle of these ordinances and reg
ulations are right. No man should be
permitted to offer diseased or filthy
meats or milk for sale in this city.
All are agreed as to that.
But on the other hand it is generally
admitted that the inspection regula-
tons of the city are so rigid that prac-
tically all the farmers who formerly
brought or shipSed meats and milk to
the city have entirely abandoned the
custom.
While these ordinances are correct
in principle-the result Of their en-
forcemsnt has been TO practically
build a stone wall around the city.
Farmers do not bring produce here as
they do to other towns. This undoubt-
eddy has an influence on the cost of
living.
The Forum believes there are two
solutions to existing problems. First of
all is the imperative necessity of a
central market. That a properly con-
Quoted market in this city would re-
duee the cost of living at least 10 per
cent is generally admitted.
Another means to a solution of the
problem is a change in the methods of
enforcement and operation of the meat
and milk inspection laws. They must
be retained. The salient principles Of
these which tend to the pro-
lection of Fargo consumers against
the sale OF diseased meat and impure
milk must be rigidly enforced. But
there might be some method of making
the ordinances more elastic-more t
isfactorJ in their operation and at the
same tiIne as protective.
If there was a central market an in
spector could be maintained there and
after the Official had passed on the
stuff offered the farmers could then
sell anywhere in the city limits.
If the establishment of a central
market 10 to be long delayed-why not
enact an ordinance providing for milk
and meat inspection at a central point
at certain hours each day? This would
relieve existing conditions to some x
tent and help out till a central market
is in operation.