Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-29
The Country Home
High Cost Of Living
BY MRS. w. I'll. FELTON,


Having occasion to visit a shoe
store today seeking a pair of low
heel, low-quartered comfort shoes
for my aged feet, I found some Gus
toners ahead of me. So I sat down
and waited my turn to be served by
the shoeclerks. Among those ahead
of me were two young colored wom-
en-, who were very busy looking for
shoes. 1t was a long look, to be
Surei
Then they left the store without
purchasing shoes, when the store
keeper came to serve me he said: Il
couldn't suit those colored women.
The shoes were not fine enough"
There was a whole lesson in his re-
mark. They wanted the most ex-
pensive and the shoes they exam
dollars, so they went elsewhere to
price and purchase shoes at higher
figures. I may speak from the
wrong viewpoint, but I am here to
crazy on spending. They will buy
automobiles, when they do not own
homes. They must have French
heels and sharp pointed toes on their
shoes. They must buy at least two
hats in the spring and two in the
1d11. LnSy COuIu captain u
their society circles, why they
couldn't buy one, and wear one
awhile-and then get another, if
anything happened to the headwear,
but they must provide at least two.
They have settled it in their minds,
priced things, and buy them as
quickly as possible land every one
of them are like those young col
ored women-who couldn't think Of
wearing even six or seven dollar
shoe, for economy's sake.
Shoes and hats are not going to
decline in price, while the foolish
spenders are still demented on the
question Of high-priced hats and
shoes.
The people who sell things are
well-pleased when prices soar, and
with customers who will not wear a
shoe or a hat under ten dollars.
Oh! these thoughtless spenders!!
There has never been a time in the
history Of the human race, when lux
urious and expensive living did not
break the virile strength Of human
kind. Reaction always follows times
of wastefulness and extravagant
habits.
When the pendulum swings away
out, on the side of foolish spending,
to the other side; and that other side
thereafter spells PANIC
When the Civil War Of the sos
came to an END the northern people;
who had bought government bonds,
at about thirty and forty cents in the
dollar, and who had made millions
out of army contracts-and billions
out Of shoddy stuff sold to the fed
eral gover1ment-they too had this
insane craze for buying everything
that was fine, which was offered for
sale. They were called snobs at that
1o1 4ScSF1 tod
except they were buying fine clothes
fine jewels, etc, etc.
The poor old South-was saved
from this insane power of spend
thrifts, because the people had to get
down to brass tacks and earn enough
their own efforts. There is there
fore, some good in even defeat and
commercial disaster.
1t is better and safer to walk
steady and erect down on the dirt
road than to mount up on stills and
gance and foolish spending. We were
glad to go slow down in Dixie-and
renew the struggle for plain aid
sensible and honest method Of get
We are told that Belgium is now
picking up astonishingly. They have
gone down to plain hard work-and
are fast getting on their feet again
by reason of steady industry and
straightforward economies.
If our American citizens would
only take the same view Of things
practice economy In buying-and
laying up some Of their high wage
money in savings banks-we would
very soon bring down this enormous
high cost of living. But there Is no
salvation without suffering. Our
foolish ones will take no advice and
1ilEn fhnCn Si11v rn1Nra6
en-they are going to fling away
that income on shoes and hats and
such like, until the money will fade
out-in the future.