Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-28
A Nation of Spenders

The United States has become . nation Of spenders,
. Tact very disturbing to various individuals apparently
irnbued with the idea that real thrift consists of care
iuily saving every penny and spending nothing except
ior the bare necessities Of life. That this idea does
not appeal to the American public is evidenced by the
rapid mounting Of annual expenditures for what we're
formerly rated as Injuries to be enjoyed only by 4
favored few.
According to department Of commerce reports the
number Of cigarettes manufactured in the United States
the past year exceeds 100000, 100000. each one Of which
cid no individual any particular good further than 20
add to his-or hcr-ioy in life. The department has
also discovered that each fifth person in this country
Is nov the proud possessor of an automobile, and II is
presumed that the other four are either riding as pas.
senrcrs or lodging traffic.
Statistics CLEANED from the nations resort centers
ird;cste that during the 1928 touring season some
sA,oooo0o!oOo we're expended b. tourists. the major
part Of which would be reposing to their account in
the bank IL they had not insisted upon seeing what
the world looked like outside their own little circle
hl1o. during IN. past year the average American has
ccusur.d = pounds Of candy, at a total cost Of 5000.
ccoc.coo. sufficient 10 make up the deficit in the post
office department with enough left over for the rivers
and hsrbors appropriation, had the public been in
clined 20 contribute 1t for those purposes. Americas
jsws unaffected 800, 100000 worth Of chewing gum,
notwithstanding il was an election year and each indi.
vidusl voter took Il upcn himself or herself 20 devo.s
tefcfai weeks 20 cAplainlng why tney INTENDED TO cast
their vote for AR or Herb" Added to this is the
s26o. o.0o0 expended for ice cream, an annual average
or : l-ee gsllons PER capita; s15o,ooo.ooo for cosmetics.
slip!oooneo FOR music and musical instruments, and
over 5fon.ooooO0 for radio. The latter item shows an
Increase or approximately Zoo per cent over 1927.
An eminent educator Of Washington asserts that il
all mcr,y "vssted" annually for tobacco. chewing gum.
candy. co-m-tiS. liquor and thester tickets were saved
there would ~ enough "a take care Of the poor and ed.
ucsts the children Of the world. However, he fails 10
explrin how uuch more would be necessary to save"
in order 70 take care or the millions thrown out Of EN-
rlcyn-nt in the various industries which provide thes.
"lu1urias."
While the American people have spent vast sums
FOR ncn-es-.ntials they have saved more actual cash
than ever before. Savings accounts show q healthy
growth in every state. according to the bank reports; :
greater percentage OF the population than ever before
owns their own homes. and they arc spending moro
money to make those homes attractive.
American prosperity lies in the fact that the people
are not boarding their earnings. They are spending
their money TO get the better things Of life. to make
life more worth the living. Every industry in the
country is prospering As + result. Hoarded money IS
wasted, so far as the public is concerned. very per-
son is entitled to recreation and pleasure, and so long
as expenditures for those purposes are kept within rea-
sonable bounds. compared with expenditures for
necessities, there il no great measure cf waste.