The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1914-02-06
Consider The Cost
BY G. L. Dickie

During the last few years numer-
Gus articles on the cause of, and rem
edies for. the so-called high cost Of
living have been written.
Very few of them have touched
anything but the extreme outer ed
ges of this truly vexing problem.
Many people are complaining that
have no just grounds for complaint.
inasmuch as the increase is caused
by their overwhelming desire to pos
sess and enjoy articles of pleasure
and to live in an atmosphere of soc
prestige, enjoyed by those whose in
come is much larger than their own.
In other words it is the habit of many
of us to live beyond our pay envel-
ope.
But there were in the United Stat
es in the year of 1909 some six and
one-half millions of employees en-
gagged in manufacturing, the average
wage being approximately $5.18 each
and it is higher today and there are
many millions more who are making
no greater amount in business and
commercial activities.
Indeed, it is said that $4,000, 900
of our people have an average income
of ess than $50 per month and it is
for this class of our people that an
increase in living expenses means an
added burden very keenly felt.
The man that can afford an auto
and it's accessory expenses, have SER
wants and keep himself and family
dressed in the latest fashions, is not
the man who can Justly complain of
an increase of a few dollars in his
grocery and meat bills.
The cost of living is never going to
be appreciably lower than it is now,
in fact prices tend to climb, which is
a natural consequence Of present con-
ditions. 80. Il. a. /. .s
So, in reaching any conclusion in
this matter we have got to face the
problem of conserving our resources
and avoiding unnecessary and harm
full expenditures, both in our person
al and natural life.
Industries of all kinds over the
country are demanding more capital
and are finding it exceedingly diff
cult to obtain. There can be no
still in our industrial life.
The people are demanding more COM
forts and service from our public
corporations, which demands an in
crease of equipment; factories re-
quire new and more efficient mach
inery, and in all of this there is re-
quired an ever increasing supply of
capital
Capital comes from the people; the
brokers in Wall street do not make 1t,
therefore it is necessary that more
get into the hands of the peo-
pie that through them it may enter
legitimate channels of trade; build
up industries; open up unproductlve
land and add to the enjoyment and
welfare of our people.
There are many things that would
aid materially to bring this about but
I will name only two in this article,
for they seem to me to be the biggest
distractions in the modern march Of
progress; namely: War and Liquor.
Figures to most people are dry sub
ject, but it is necessary to use them
in order to explain what wish TO
show. The United States has ap-
propriated for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1914, the sum OF $3.50, O0o,-
600 for the maintenance Of army ana
naval equipments, caring fer new
work and in pensions, which outside
Of the postal service which is prac-
tically self-supporting, is 81 per cent
of it's expenses.
The civilized nations of the world
today are spending two and one-haiI
billions of dollars annually in taAlng
care of the cost Of previous wars,
present armies and pre-
pairing for future conflictsa and the
nttioaai debt of practically every
nation is a war debt This great ex-
penditure of money is not on the ae-
crease but is increasing by leaps ana
bounds and is gradually driving nat
ions into bankruptcy.
This great amount Of capital IS
withdrawn from productive industry
and is invested in huge machine
used for no purpose but destruction
Now, add to this total of over one
half billion dollars appropriated oy
the United States the sum Of two ana
one-fourth billion dollars spent an
nually for liquor. ~ given n the IN
tied states Statistical Abstract e
1911 and yon have : total Of three
and three fourth billions Of dollars
Before We 60 any further Ies ~
consider the argument put forn 2
many people. that this nopN = aos
wasted that It gets beck 1nfq 9 cef-