Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-21
CENTRAL CITY MARKET
Is URGED To CUT HIGH
PRICES ATLANTA PAY!
Government Estimates Show Gate
City Second Only to Boston in
Living Expenses---Shopping Condi-
tons Barrier to EffeCtiveEconOmy.

"
Atlanta than in any other city Of
the United States. Boston alone ex-
cepted?
Careful and widespread investiga-
ton by the Federal Government. inn
partially distributed throughout the
Union, places Atlanta right near the
top notch as an expensive city in
which to live, and although eXplana-
tions Of this unsavOTy indictment
have been many and varied, no one
OF them has seemed TO explain com
pIetely and COnvincingly.
And yet there must be some rSa-
son why the cost Of living is rela-
lively so high in Atlanta-in Allan
Ia, where, of all places, il should be
at least as reasonable as the average,
81 not below the average, taking into
consideration the very many advan-
tages Atlanta uuquestionably has as
place Of residence.
Some of Atlanta's marlJetmen
frankly admit that the Governments
figures do Atlanta no Injustice what
ever. They say the cost of living is
high in this city, and that they can
not help it-or. at least if they can
the way has not yet been shown
them.
Other marketmen vehemently deny
that there is anything whatever about
Atlanta's marketing situation that
dlffercntiayes 10 conspicuously or un-
favorably from any other city and
that the Government figures simply
make "A mountain ont of a molehill,
10 Auanta's senseless discrcdit.
Various reasons are assigned for
the high cost of living in the Gate
City of the South
High Living Blamed.
Atlanta people merely are high
livers and pay the price because IL
suits them to do just that. the farm
erS do not diversity their crops suf
ficiently to make Georgia Independent
of the outside world which they
might do easily enough, Georgia
farmers do not raise beef and for that
reason the city is dependent upon the
West for its meat supply and this
runs up the cost OF living tremen-
dously; rents are abnOrmally high In
Atlanta and the merchants have to
add TO their margin OF expense suf-
fiCiently to take care II the rent, OF
course and this the consumer neCes-
sarily pays. cotton crowds all other
lines of agricultural Industry SO close
~ that many f1odstuffs must be oh
y tanned from sources beyond the state,
NJ a higher rate of expense than
would BE entailed if wheat, oats and
corn -s.e raised at home; butter
that might be made In Georgia, is not
made here in particularly apprecia-
bic quantity, and that keeps the price
of butter up freight rates are dis
Crimiuatory and people do not shop
intelligcntly, anyway,
These ar" "a few Of the reasons
why Atlanta, according to local mar
ketmen has been handed the doubt
full award of being next 10 the most
expensive city In the United States
in which 10 live.
Wnateveg the cause may be for the
h.-h cost Cd. living in Atlanta, how
ever one thing seems to stand out
uualapU,a tho cost OF living Is some
high. an right,
The One Vital Question.
Indeed, there is no topic i'm which
the public the home makers, espc-
cially, is 80 vitality and comptlingly
interested 81 this problem Of living
within the family income.
The people of Atlanta are much
more seriously concerned with the
question OF how 10 1--we on their daily.
are with whether Mayor Woodward
is q "Chcap skate or Dr Lincoln Nc
Cornell ga coward"
They viii hearken much more In
terestedly "a ID sensible dissertation
on how the cost OK living may be
brought down even little bit than
they viii to why somebody sent His
Honor "a tube Of carbon dioNide in
stead of a noscgay of tuberuseS.
What Mr.. and Mrs. Atlanta want TO
know, above all things else nowadays,
IS how they may live within their in
come and lay by something for a
rainy day,
As the matter stands. they not only
are up against it, to the limit every
month, but constantly are In dread
that conditions may grow TO be even
worse.
And Mr. and Mrs. Atlanta are not
pessimis-s-far be pessimism and
such from tnem'
They believe ia their home town
they have been swearing by and not
at. this fair city for years. and they
b propose 10 proceed right along that
optimistic ana primrosed path In the
future,
It is only that they are able to see
the point when Atlanta is unfayora
bly, held up i'm comparison with other
cities And 10 ever has been their
ability to meet outside criticism fair
ly and manfUlly. 10 recognize unto
ward conditions and to remedy them
enthuS. stiCal'y. that has made At.
lanta the great and wonderful city
II is
Il is not knocking" Atlanta to SAY
that such and such a condition eN.
lists here that ought no; TO exist. and
that does not exist IN some othel
great cities
The truth doesn't hurt any city tina
is frank and honest with itself anC
with its neighbors and friends.
Must Face the Question
II Atlanta Is honest with itself and
= WIFI its neighoors and friends, which