Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-11-21
THE HIGH COST OF LIV-
ING VS.. THECOST OF
HIGH LIVING.
BY. THE REV @. +. THOMAS.

HIGH LIVING.
By. THE REV Q. #. THOMAS.
The present generations need 70 ex-
srcise great restraint and moderation
in its desires and purposes il it would
solve the difficult problem aud destroy
the hardness Of some existing comet
tions. The times are extravagant' our
tendencies are acute ana our desires a'e
excessive. We have drifted rapials "
ward to lavish display. extreme proa-
gality and careless expenditure. sr-
haps no people are 50 regardless OF 'he
morrow. so wasfal OF their resources
aud SO foreetfuI q future needs as we
Americans we work bard and earn
much; but we spend 700 easily;we are
nation Of spend hr'fs'
Much is said nowadays about the
diaiculty Of living, the oppressiveness
q economic conditions. Not only the
noor but All others. find it difficult to
make euds meet; and after years or
lita Of toll and struggle have nothing lett
Init debts. We blame it all on the high
price Of commodities, Of food, clothes,
travel houses, rent, Of necessities and
luxufies- not extreme Injuries, but
what have come 10 be ordinary require
ments Some Inquiries Of the past are
now deemed necessities. rhe cost OF
these has been and is still soaring high.
Would it not be more just to say that
the cause of our complaints, the reason
Of our plight, is not the high cost Of
living, but the cost of high living We
have all. rich and poor, been living too
high. Every class has been rushing
upward. hustling terribly, to gain
eminences Of life that are giddy and
dazzling, far above he position into
which we we're born or into which cir
cumstanees nave thrown us. We are
never content in tie gaining, never sat
isfied with the newly acquired posses
sions and conditions. We must push
on and ret more. We banker after
Injuries oud comforts. We are hug
cling certain ideas and customs that
formerly we're not within our grasp.
When we were boys we took bath
In a washtub insthe back yard or in the
cellar and thought it fun and healthfu
Now we must have bath and toilet rooms
in the house; almost bath room 10
each apartment. When we were young
and beginning TO work, we were salts
fed with plain cooking and plain food;
but now the dishes must be more saw
DRY and varied. The clothes we ~or
we're Inexpensive and homespun; but
now we must wear imported gowns
and we vii! have nothing cheap. a
young married couple years ago started
out with but a iou ineyman's wages and
lived with scant comforts and oriinare
Though solid food Now their sons and
daughters won't leave the paternal roof
and be married unless they can have .
fna house with all odern convenience
and up-to-date furniture, fine tablewas,
and linen, and the table must be sup
piled with dainties and delicacies.--
People must dine at restaurants and
cafes aud order everything on the bill
Of fare. Instead Of walking they must
ride in the trolley even for few
squares. Instead Of carriages, they
must hire or own automobiles and mort
gage their homes to secure these. We
build pretentious edifices when a mere
modern structure would suffice. We
must have many changes OF clothing;
once we may have had to stay abed
while our one suit Of linen was being
washed ADJUSTMENTS many and yarl-
ed we must have, and we are always OF
the 60. We cannot do without vaca-
ton at the seashore or a trip Z
Europe Some must have town houses
and summer villas. Others must live
in hotels. We save for months a few
dollars and squander them at Atlantic
City, to help hotel-keepers get rich and
increase the dividends Of the holders Of
stock in steamship and railroad com
panies. He is rsrs man who does not
live beyond his means. In buying
there is much foolishuess. We buy at
stores that have a r ame; what we wear
must bear the tag vf a fashionable tail.
or OF halter Up and down the scale,
while some look for bargains aud re-
duced prices, NEST people think they are
obtaining inferior articles II the price
is not high. In many places 10 Europe
they have two prices-a high one for
Americans end low one for the natives.
We eat aud drink too much. Less OF
both would put money in the bark fer
US. Europeans take to the table d'ho IL
eat little Of tina several courses. Amer
leans must eat at separate tables and |
specially ordered and prepared dishes |
In travelling here one meets not often
meals served on the American plan; the |
travelling public demands tie European,
which costs more. 1t is absurdly cal
ed the European; Europeans follow he
other) Some Of US sc3rn a glass o.
beer, but gnip down a bottle Of cham
paigne; others turn ABIDE from a beef
steak aud smack their lips over reed
birds on toast The French, Germans
and Italians eat sparingly. They driuk
in small quantities, lingering long hours
over bottle Of vine or stein Of neer;
while some OF US, At one settling |
try to drink the product Of an e.