The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1919-11-29
FRANK IRVINE TALKS
10 CALIFORNIA EDITORS

rhe following address delivered b,
= Irvine. the blind editor OF thu
r,land. Oregon Journal, before IN,
rual meeting OF the California
I, Press Association ip San Fran,
70. Saturday. Nov. 15, is sent yov
,he request OF the California State
ss Association:
m is doubtful II America has ever
n confronted with conditions "a
brarious. There never was n pys.
ology 40 extraordinary.
Expenditures are terrific. The
ople ar on a mad financial spree
(rmal business principles are deat
ourhts of thrift are forgotten. A
Su's hat az. $40 has become n com
kpplacc. Portland dealers placed
pn on sale and the supply was ex-
u,ted. The dealers were plunged
d wonderment and awe. They are
buyirg hats that win be sold at
and sac
lothinr is stable, New York man
Se,urers and jobbers no longer
c,e prices of goods on future de-
er. they tell you the price now
"a say that the price on future
dsrs will be controlled by the then
.ket. Meanwhile, operatives In
factories demand higher and
rher wages and operators grant
en-. Operators have found that
v pric, asked will be paid, and the
ssnced wage IL granted and added
HI Increased profit 10 the price at
kIch the goods go 10 the retailer.
ke public comes along and pays
Aatever is asked.
And so the pyramiding goes ON.
)eple were excited during the war.
many ways they are crazy now.
Asy never saw 40 much money
bot before, never saw IL spent so
Fishly. never saw II come and 20
easily.
All have forgotten that Il was
vefnment money that we have been
ending. II was the great sums
"a off in billions that fed the ship
Srds. the munition factories, the
hehine works. the spruce camps and
the other great works OF produc-
NJ. In all the history OF the world
bney was never poured into indus
y with such prodigal hand.
The spirit OF those days has be-
)ne epidemic. Though the great
)pply source that the government
bintained during hostiiities is cut
the spending goes on. II IL with
n end or shape or limit. The
)lpworkers si200 automobile, and
lhdy's $4,000 fur. the housemaid's
)5o tailor suit. the stenographer's
)e0 coat. a woman's hand-bag at
80, a lady's gown displayed In
y Francisco shop window at the
tre OF a house and lot. These are
)rs OF the long array OF lavishness
this extravaganza OF expenditure.
People seem crazed with the notion
p any extravagent thing. any prod
y purchase, any figure OF wage.
measure Of profit is obtainsbie.
|Do you realize what havoc habits
snthrift are working In America! !
Portland In 1913. with IN increase
$1,000 In population. we built ass
billing houses. We bought $500
omobiles. We spent something
y half a million for houses: more
bn ten million for automobiles.l
y mortage indebtedness placed on
pes for the purchase Of automo-
y was 100000,
Listen: Sixty six out of every
|ndred persons who die In the
lied States leave no estate what
Ff. and Of the remaining thirty
" only nine leave larger than |
poo. Al tho age Of IS, ninety
zen out OF every hundred persons !
America are partially or wholly
pendent upon relatives. friends or /
public for their daily bread. for
rir clothing and for a roof under |
|ch to sleep. Ninety eight per
y OF the American people are liv-
from day TO day on their wages.
I lose OF employment would
an pauperism for all but two per
u.
Fewer than 100000 American /
nilies own their own homcsS,
10000 are carrying mortgages.
! III 100000 are renters. Every
Pn years. one-third OF the popula-
OF the city. OF New York applies
Charity. One person In every ten
dies In our large cities In buried
9 pauper's grave. |
|hese figures are from Govern
d Statistics. They are = terrtfy-
story OF poverty. Surgeon Gen.
Gorgas. who made the Canal
y habitable. said In . public add
n Physicians have located the
y cause of general III health In
erty." Poverty is here directly
'ibutable by an eminent authority
NE great American habit OF un-
lft. - 80 /