Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-07-31
DEFEATING The HIGH
COST OF LIVING


feed and clothe his family. A surplus
upon which to build a bank account
to meet the needs of sickness or re-
verses If they come, is as foreign to
most families as apple blossoms are
in January They live from hand to
mouth with never a penny saved for
tomorrow. on Saturday night the
wages for the week have totally van
ished. Even the smallest luxuries are
unknown to them. This is the life of
multitudes in this land of plenty. ex
travagance and waste
We complain that our system of
economics is all wrong. Men stand
on the street corners and cry out
against our legislative bodies, minis
tiers preach from the pulpit and law
makers legislate, but still the poor
and the needy are with us. We grant
that the laborer is not receiving just
compensation for his services. The
conditions existing between capital
and labor are not peaceable and fair.
The working man is oppressed because
of the strength behind industry. But
does the whole fault lie with the sys-
tenn? or is there also lack of thrift
ness on the part of many families2 II
we're increased to double the present
amount would his family be proper
tionately better off? They would live
on a better street, in a finer and bet
ter furnished house; they would dress
better, and possibly eat better foods
But would they show a substantial
gain? Is it not true that the needs of
most families increase in direct ratio
to their income? They lack the talent
or the desire to accumulate. The more
they have to spend, the greater the
desire to spend. Hence it would seem
that the best solution to the situation
would be to stimulate and encourage
thriftiness among the poorer classes.
Too many employees insist upon living
on a social plane with their employers
but upon what theory can they base
their right? What have they done to
gain the privilege? They have neither
the desire, the courage nor the ability
to shoulder the great responsibilities
that come to their employer The fact
that they have not the ability Is evil
d4nced IN, their domestic life. They
do not express good business juds-
meut in providing home needs and
comforts. In many families there are
a hundred little avenues of waste that
if checked would save many dollars for
the family Golfer
The average family spends too much
money for food; not that they have
too much to eat, but the marketing
is not done intelligently. The eco
nomic and hygienic values of foods are
not taken into consideration. The
foods are purchased daily from the
grocery. Morning, noon and night trips
are made to the grocery for five-cent
purchases. This habit is fostered by
poverty and yet it begets poverty. The
l wear on the horse and delivery wagon
and the time spent by the groceryman
and the purchaser all represent money
MANY women in their mad desire to in
dulge in the frivolities of social affairs
try to escape the duties of the home
and shirk cooking by living out of tin
cans. Timed soups. timed meats
timed vegetables, timed fruits, pro-
vide the daily fare in many homes ON
these the manufacturer, the railroad,
the wholesale merchant and the re-
taller must make a profit.
There are on the market some 20
prepared. ready to eat breakfast FOODS
These through extensive advertising
made possible by enormous profits'
haze won great popularity, and are
used by The average poor family with
out ever a thought that they are pay
ling from fifteen to twenty dollars per
lbushel for corn and wheat. Breakfast
foods that are more nutritious ana
more hygienic can be bought for one
fifth the price. One woman mas tounu
that she can save more than two DOL
liars per month on her breakfast foods
by buying cleaned wheat and shelleo
loats. She runs the grain through
little crusher she has purchased, ana by
blending them she makes breakfast
porridges that are fit for king. They
are very nutritious and serve the pur-
pose of splendid laxative medicines.
Formerly the breakfast food for her
family cost 10 cents each morning, and
now it costs about 3 cents. The fuel
for cooking the foods does not cost
anything, for the woman has ingenuity
and she starts the food in the double
boiler just before retiring. She places
the vessel on a hot place on the fur-
mace and in the morning the cereal Is
cooked to perfection. base burner
can be used to the same good adVant-
age and in summer the fireless cooker /
serves the purpose.
Meats are always a great item OF
expense. Most people eat entirely too
much meat. Excessive meat eating
clouds the brain and tends towards
nervousness. Meat should not be
eaten more than once a day by people
of sedentary habits. Cured meats or
which there is so much used should
be selected with great care, for often
they consist of the most inferior prod
ucts OF the slaughter house.
The majority of families have from
is to as feet of available fertile soil
in their back yard which could be
made to produce enough vegetables for
the family for the entire summer.
we'll fortified, well cultivated garden Of
the above dimensions will grow an