The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-05
REDUCE COST LIVING
How Any Reader May Be Able to
Do 1t.

There is only one person in the
world who can reduce the cost of liv-
ing for you, and that is yourself.
All of the studies and experiments
in reducing the cost of living point
back to this fact. The blame has been
put on the gold surplus and on the
trusts; on the war and on the crops;
on the farmer and on the retailer and
on the middleman. But no true bill
has been found against any of them
or against all of them.
The high cost of living in the United
States today is due primarily to the
over-development of economic inter
dependence of the individual
That is why the movement for home
gardening now sweeping the country
is significant and important.
Consider for moment the develop
ment of our method of feeding our
selves as a people.
When our country was sparSely set
tied every family was economically in
dependent. 1t raised its food upon its
own land, stored its own supplies il
its own cellar, even spun it's own cloth
and made it's own candles.
That was a bad state of affairs, be-
cause 1t was extreme. 1t left no
leisure and prevented specialization.
Now we have gone to the opposite
extreme. A typical modern American
city dweller is a man who makes shoes
for a living. That is his contribution
to the national upkeep. He does moth
ing else. He depends upon man in
Bermuda for his onions, and one N
Maine for his potatoes, and the hens
of Kansas lay eggs for him. Further
more, he depends upon a complicated
system of transportation and storage
to bring these things to his door. The
railroads must carry them across the
country. The storage plants must pre-
serve them. The retailers must select
what he needs, take his order by tele-
phone. and deliver them in a cart
All of this costs money. And much
of it is unnecessary. A little fore
thought would save this shoemaker a
great deal. If for example, he would
merely buy potatoes when they are
cheap and store them. he could put by
many a good dollar. If his wife would
preserve fruits in the summer. she
would not have to buy glass, tin and
water in the winter
If this man went just little farther
and raised vegetables in his backyard,
he could save still more. He could
render himself at least partly indie
pendent of this immense and expensive
system which now has him at it's
mercy.
Perhaps this man could not raise
much, and perhaps it would take
good deal of his time to raise that
little bul every 1ildil has SOlHe lelS-
ure and gardening is a healthful and
interesting occupation.
And however little he produced, this
man would be learning a lesson in
economic independence. He would be
learning how to think out his own
economic problems. and provide for
his own economic needs as every man
should.
If you would live better for less
money, you must solve your problem
of living for yourself.
You can get free an official 50-page
booklet issued by the United States
government, that tells you in complete
detail how to lay out and plant and
take care of your home garden. 1t
contains special directions for raising
over fifty kinds of vegetables. 1t has
diagrams. planting table, description
of tools, and thirty-four illustrations
You need this book to do your bit in
the food reserve. Sent free on re-
ceipt of a 2-cent stamp for return
postage. Address The Topeka state
Journal, Information Bureau, Wash
ington, D. c.