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Show THE FOOD SITUATION. Indignation seems to be the keynote , in New York over the high price of i eggs. There, and elsewhere, governors, mayors, boards of aldermen, commissioners commission-ers and plain citizens have thrust themselves them-selves into the situation with resolutions, resolu-tions, conversation, boycotts, accusations accusa-tions and some practical attempts at temporary relief. The Jsrew Yorkers threaten to go right down the line with a boycott on one article of food after another in an effort to break a supposed sup-posed conspiracy or combination of cold-storage cold-storage firms. It is well known that the hen cannot can-not maintain her output at this season; also that she has no facilities for the cold storage of eggs. Wherefore she is not responsible for the high price of her product, and equally wherefore the persons who store it are. Several questions arise, namely: If eggs were not put in storage in the season when they are plentiful and cheap would the demand for them be great enough to consume the entire supply! sup-ply! Otherwise, if they were not preserved pre-served would they be wasted? And if a group of men take pains and money to build a preserving plant, and invest; more money in the purchase of eggs to preserve for the season when, in the nature of the hen, eggs shall have become be-come scarce, are such enterprising men entitled to reward or blame for their forohandedness? Are they by way of being benefactors or malefactors'? To what extent should they be rewarded (in the profit on their enterprise) or reviled (for exacting a profit)? Speaker Champ Clark has uttered some sensible, old-fashioned advice that shows the way to economy in the cost of living.. He points out that rice and corn-meal mush are cheap, palatable and sustaining foods. He advocates that each family have its little flock of chickens. In short, it appears that he would have us manage our affairs more as our fathers and grandfathers did. We should revert to a simpler life, eliminate elim-inate the delicatessen and the expensive, small-package mode of living from hand to mouth; dig a pit in the garden and. put a store of wholesome ftjods in the cellar. The cold-storage men should have no monopoly in the preservation of eggs. A simple and effective process is described de-scribed as follows: Place two inches of wod ashes in the bottom of a tin pail. In this stand on the small end us many fresh eggs "as you can easily, without letting them touch. Sift over them two inches of ashes and adjust another layer of eggs. When the pail is full cover it tight and place it in a cool cellar. The eggs will keep perfectly all winter. Now, if wishes were wood ashes and good intentions were, tin pails and eggs were 20 cents a dozen probably not one city man in a thousand would bother to preserve his eggs in this way. He would be too busy in the pursuit of the fleeting pleasures of the city to take a serious interest in the permanent and satisfying pleasure of laying up a store of food for himself and his dependents. He has become so accustomed to having someone else look after his really vital ; interests that he never gives them one j moment of thought or care until the j time comes when he must pay the price ! or go hungry. Then right lustily he joins in the chorus of denunciation of those rascally cold-storage conspirators. On the whole, the problem of the high cost of living 6eems to reach right into the homes in more ways than one. We are a nation notoriously wasteful, and have no great reputation as cooks, either. Legislation and regulation would only open the way to a more extravagant ex-travagant and heedless mode of living. liv-ing. The solution of the problem lies largely with the individual householder and his good wife. |