Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-21

cepted?
Careful and widespread investiga-
ton by the Federal Government. i'm
partially distributed throughout the
Union. places Atlanta right near the
top notch as an expensive city in
which 10 live. and although eNplana-
tons of this unsavory indictment
have been many and varied, no one
of them has seemed to explain COM
pletely and ConvinCingly.
And vet. 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, it should be
at least as reasonable as the average,
if not below the average. taking into
consideration the very many adYan-
tages Atlanta unquestionably has AS
place Of residence.
Some OF Atlanta's marketmen
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
differcntiates IL ConspiCuously or I'M
favOrably from any other city, and
that the Government figures simply
make a mountain out Of mOlehill,
TO Atlanta's senseless disCredit
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 it
suits them to do just that; the farm
ers do not diversity their crops suf-
ficiently 70 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 it's 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 of the rent, OF
course, and this the consumer neCes-
sarily pays, cotton crowds all other
lines Of agricultural industry so close
~ that many foodstuffs must be OBJ
tanned from sources beyond the State,
at a higher rate of expense than
would be entailed II wheat, oats and
corn were raised at home, butter,
that might be made In Georgia, is not
made here in particularly appreCia-
BILE quantity, and that Keeps the price
Of butter up; freight rates are dis
criminatory, and people do not shop
intelliEcntly, anyway
These are few of the reasons
why Atlanta, according to local mar
ketmen, has been handed the doubt
full award of being next To the most
expensive city In the United States
in which To live.
Whatever the cause may be for the
high cost of living in Atlanta, how
ever, one thing seems TO stand out
undisputed the cost Of living is some
high, all right
The One Vital Question.
Indeed. there is no topic in which
the public. the home makers espe-
cillly lS So vitality and Compellingly
Interested as this problem of living
within the family income.
The people of Atlanta are much
more seriously concerned with the
question of how 10 live on their daily.
weekly or monthly stipends than they
are with whether Mayor Woodward
IS a "cheap skate" or Or. Lincoln Me
Council "a coward"
They viii hearken much more in
terestedly to a sensible dissertation
on how the cost of living may be
brought down, even a little bit. than
they will to why somebody sent His
Honor a tube of carbon dioxide in
stead of nosegay Of tuheroses.
What AIr 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
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
pesslmists be pessimism and
such from them,
They believe in their home town
they have been swearing by. and not
at, this fair city for years, and they
propose 20 proceed right along that
optimistic and primrosed path in the
future.
Il is only that they are able to see
The point when Atlanta IS unfavora-
bly, held up I'M comparison with other
CITIES. Nnd II ever has been their
ability Z" meet outside criticism fair
y and maniuliN, 10 recognize unto
ward conditions and TO remedy them
enthuslastlcaNy. that has made At
lanta the great and wonderful city
u u.s. .....