Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-21
Government Estimates Show Gate
City Second Only to Boston in
Living Expenses---Shopping Condi-
tons Barrier to EffectiveEconomv.

interested as this problem of living
within the family income
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
pessimists-far 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 to proceed right along that
optimistic and primrosed path in the
future.
1t is only that they are able to see
the point when Atlanta is unfavora -
bly, held up in comparison with other
cities. And it ever has been their
ability to meet outside criticism fair
ly and manfully, to recognize unto
ward conditions and to remedy them
enthusiastically, that has made At
ianta the great and wonderful city
It is.
Estimates IRE Truthful.
This writer has talked to many
persons of late concerning the prob
!. lem revealed to Atlanta in the recent
more or less disconCerting Govern
ment figures with respect to the high
cost Of living.
The Governments estimates are
truthful-they were based upon hon
est Investigations scattered all the
way from Maine to California. No
BODY undertakes to dispute or uues-
ton them. They concern themselves
WIN various staples of life-house-
hold necessities that can not be dis
spensed with in the average house
hold without serious discomfort both
to health and happiness.
Not very many households are ag-
urlns next years expense account
upon the new tariff schedules how
ever. Ask the first ten persons Won
meet and see II any one Of them &c
taking the new tariff law seriously
into consideration as a possible factor
IN reviewing perceptibly the present
expense Of living.
What, then, If anything, CAN be
done to bring down the expense of
living in Atlanta?
Well, there is one housekaener in
Atlanta who has some notions about
things, and her ideas are worth con
slderlng, for they suggest a method
whereby conditions may be rernedied
in measure in Atlanta, if not ire
nendously relieved.
Work of Housekeeper.
This woman, who is the wife NJ m
Albanian receiving a monthly salary
Of $3.50, and the mother OF three chill
dren, talks after this fashion:
The questions of freight rates Ii
versiiication of crops and the like are
things for the business men to set
tie, l think, and no doubt each has IFS
specific bearing upon the cost of liy-
ing. lnasmuch as the men are as
deeply concerned in this problem as
the women-the one the bread-win-
ners and the other the bread-dis-
tributors Inside the family-I take il
that they will not shirk the respon-
sibility of regulating those things in
due season.
MY business is TO distribute the
money my husband gives me for
housekeeping purposes intelligently.
economically and with as great re-
suits as / possibly can manage. Notn-
ing d1stresses me more than to think
that l have frittered away or used TO
small purpose so much as a dime of
the hard-earned salary my husband
provides for the home and its up
keep.
MY husband puts. and rightfuHv.
the responsibility of shopping and
marketing on me. I should not re-
spect him so much as do if he didn't.
And then, having put the RESPONSIBLE
ity there, he turns me loose and he