The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1914-07-30
THE HIGH COST OF LIVING.


Much Of the talk these days is de
voted to the high cost of living. Tn
workingman finds that he cannot liv
as cheaply now as he did few year
ago. In fact, it costs him more thar
it did year ago. But the people
talked the same way hundred year
ago and it was then predicted tina
the time was coming when the poo
man would be unable to own anything
One hundred years ago there were ne
electric lights, no gasoline and nc
kerosene lamps. Homes were Lighted
with candles that cost anywhere from
371s to S75 cents per pound. Calico
was 371s cents per yard and tea was
81 pound. Whisky could be bought
at every store and sold for % cents a
gallon. A consignment OF liquor was
included in nearly every order Of
goods. Today electric lights ard
cheaper than candles were 100 years.
ago, while people would go straight
up if asked to pay 81 per pound for
tea. What would the average woman
do if calico cost her 37h cents per
yard? The merchnat would likely
hear something he would not forget
for a couple of weeks.
But there is another side to the
high cost of living 100 years ago. 1t
will appeal directly to the farmer.
You could buy veal for cents a
pound The high water mark in the
price of eggs was 10 cents dozen,
with to cents the prevailing price.
Chickens could be had in plenty at
from 12h to 10 cents each and geese
sold for % cents. Listen here and
ponder! Beef sold at and A cents a
pound. Wool brought 10 to 1919 cents
a pound and muslin was 80 cents
yard Salt sold as high as SIG a
bushel. The workingman received a
mere pittanee as against what he now
receives. He could easily get along
without calico, and as newspapers
were scarce and the politicians had
not formed the habit of writing "open
letters" to the people, he didn't have
to burn many candles. Then when
his troubles got too heavy for him he
could drown his sorrows in gallon
of whisky-all for 25 cents. Now
Uncle Sam gets $1.10 revenue on ev-
cry gallon of liquor manufactured in
the United States.
But 100 years ago there were no
railroads and transportation charges
were the great bugbear. 1t was man
ufactured goods and commodities
against which transportation charges
were brought. They were naturally
very high. Food was very cheap.
People could get the necessities of
life for mere song. If they were not
too proud and aristocratic in their
tastes they could manage it even on
the small salaries workingmen re-
ceived. Farming was not handled in
those days as it is now. The farms
were small tracts and each man en-
deavored to raise only enough to sup
ply his table. Today the conditions
are reversed. 1t is the factory goods
that are cheap and foodstutfs high.
The workingman receives more today
than ever before in the history of the
country. He can afford to pay more
for his food.
The great question now is: Will
the workingman long be able to pay
the present high prices for foodstuff
Factories are reducing their shifts
and wages are not being increased. !
The real facts of the matter are that
conditions in the industrial world are
not very good at the present time.
Many smaller factories are shutting
down Food is going higher every
day. This is particularly true regard
ing meat. Meat is what the man per-
forming heavy manual labor must
have to keep up the pace demanded.
There has been a big increase in cost
of living in Chicago the past year.
July of last year sirloin steak sold for
25 cents pound there. Today it is
selling for 80 cents. Round steak has
jumped from Is to "a cents; rump
roast sold at IA cents year ago and
this July finds it at Is cents, while
rib roast has advanced from 16 to %
cents. Chops are cents higher than
a year ago. On the average beef is
about cents higher than in 1918.
"Doan's Ointment cured me of &C.