The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-06-04
Extrnrapanf Mnmen

Extrayagant Women.
i do my own shopping because
get one hundred cents worth for
every dollar. II more people did that
there would be less talk Of hard times
and the high cost OF living."-Mrs
Hetty Green.
"A lack Of knowledge OF the value
Of money on the part Of women is the
most powerful enemy to domestic hap
piness that exists" declared Judge
Arthur Lacy, of the Domestic Relations
Court in Detroit recently when he
made public figures showing that
twenty-six per cent Of the cases that
come before his court are due to ex-
travagance on the part Of wives and
that in another forty-nine per cent of
the cases in which faults Of both man
and wife are responsible, extravaganza
of the wife is the principal trouble.
We are proud Of the American wom-
an, her intelligence, her charm and
her achievements, but 1t must be ad-
mitted that in too many instances she
is far from careful saver or wise
spender.
In most cases, probably, this is due
to faulty training in early life as to
the value of money and the importance
Of spending 1t wisely and saving por-
ton OF income Systematically.
1t is not entirely love OF ease and
luxury that lays our women open to
the charge of extravaganza, although
that is an important factor in the case.
Perhaps more frequent cause is in
efficiency in the business side of house
keeping.
Mrs. Julia Heath, president of the
National Housewives League, en-
dorses this declaration of one house
keeper:
II believe that my husband could
run our home better than l II he were
compelled to do 1t, because he would
run 1t as he runs his business"
Charge accounts at the stores, or
dering goods over the telephone and
free delivery of even the smallest
packages are all fruitful causes of ,ex-
travagance and higher cost OF LIVING.
Alfred D. Woodruff of the New York
City Bureau of Food Supply gives
startling account OF what happens
when the grocer Charges it." I'VE
have found" says Mr. Woodruff, "that
only about thirty per cent pay their
bills promptly in thirty days; twenty
eight per cent take from one to three
months to pay; forty per cent never
pay in full, and two per cent never
pay at ALL" With such drawbacks to
the credit system, 1t is not astonishing
that grocers go bankrupt in spite Of
high nominal profits. Mr.. Woodruff
thinks that If women will pay as much
attention to domestic economy as to
dress, bridge parties and tango teas"
il they will pay cash, buy in large
quantities and test short weights,
mot less than twenty-five per cent
might be deducted from the gross
profits" with corresponding benefit to
the consumer and his savings bank
account.
This matter Of commonsense thrift
does not apply only to the city house
keeper. 1t is OF importance to the
Hill put it in a speech to agricultur-
lists:
when l am talking to the farmer
remember that the MINERS wife is
one-half of the family, and she is the
bigger half, too. The farmers success
or failure, his going up or down in his
scale of accomplishment, depends upon
her.
"A helpful, thrifty wife, who is con-
serving his capital, his health, his
earning ability, not to mention the
pocket book, closing the avenues of
waste, will make him succeed. He
can't help succeeding, while with
wasteful, careless wife, he might as
we'll give up.
These are facts. Make the test
take two men, one with the right kind
of wife and one who has the wasteful
careless kind, and see how real it is
in the actual progress of that family"