The Alaska daily empire., 1916-12-09
ON THE mGHT COST OF LIVING

In the last analysis. ,he high of living win be found to be due to the ext=avasa sance vas:e ind
 ference laziuess thrftesness. energy and prosperity Of the people themselves While is that there are new economic reasons for the greatly increased cost of existence. it is also true that this has been aided administered to. nursed and encouraged by the consumers of every kind of manufactured goods and the products of the soil. And the mand- f1cturers. producers middle end spectators have been quick Co take advantage Of the supireness Of the consumer
 The average person Is not content with the sub santial uecessares of life. Therefore, he wants the luxuries including motor cars. even in jhe purchase of one means a mortgage on his home: the average person stimulated by reckless and luxurious age de- sres the choices; kind Of food and is content with the substantial plain but wholesome bone-makng and muscleforming fare his forefathers; he. desires to be clothed in purple and fine linen eyery day And the average man will always find those wideawakc pushing energetic men who make up the business fore es of the nation ready and willing cater to his real as well his imaginary needs
 The cost of living has increasel during the past few years something like 4S per cent. but the ing capacity oC the average man has kept pace with the steadily soaring prices that he pay in order Go live. The United States is the richest na- ton of the world in every way. yet it's people are considerably removed from the thrigtiest.
 If the American people had the thrift Of the
 
 United States maintaining it's position the banker of the world. Things have come too easy for our people We have been wasteful in the matter of our national resources money has been made easily. only to be spent just as easily What We need is to | take general accounting Of ourselves and discover our own impergectons. We have been so easy and gulliable that We have permitted ourselves to be l exploited by the manufacturer. producer. the monopo list. the speculator and the middleman. and are content Co be thus exploited: but the unconscouabe prices in many respects. that have prevailed since | the outbreak Of the European have at last set the people to investigating for themselves. and they find they are not getting value received
 The war is given an excuse for nearly every economic rise that has taken place. In cases this is true but in good many it is the direct anthi thesis of the truth.
 In the unsettled condition of the world at large every individual combination Of individuals has taken advantage ot the situation in order put money in their purses and then peddle economic bunk to the consumer or buyer. There are ways 10 meet this situation. and the first and last that itself s to exercise economy in living that will re- O suit in the deterioration the human machine This be done with profit for the average person eats Oo much. drinks much. smokes much and ? wears too many clothes because forsooth he desires be the very glass of fashion and the mold of form 9 nd therefore just bit superior his neighbor in he matter Of dress. of food. Of the applause the multitude. and all those other foolish attributes that ause to such fantastic tricks before high n eayen as make the angels weep. al
 If the average man will begin with himself he al an reduce his cost Of living by being more frugal tf nd thrifty and increase rather than impair his ilness. Government investigations into the cost of wing will never reduce the cost. but the combined ,tion of the people who pay the price will effect onders. Slow up the fast gait of living and the bo 'oduct of the unassuming hen will not need to be yo 'yeotted eat less meat and the price will fall auto tai atcally; spend less on luxures that are hollow ockery delusion and snare. and the pocketbook I l increase in rotundity and probably so will it's tn, 'ner. much to his personal benefit Govern tra en investigations in the matter of the high cost of
 e'U' 0"'e Oi soFernhen1 see
 ne people 10 De sure but they are usually bar lis l of real honestto-gOodness results If the people .mselyes will take in hand this matter the cost of ing will slump and slump materially and speedily se,