The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, November 01, 1914, Page 15, Image 15

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    mTVWWWI" !
V i
"7"
The Gbmihbiie
va3:
NOVEJVrJBEB, 19lT
$&
i
15
wyy?iffif?g:yw?f
of civil war-pensioners from 1909 to 1914, in
clusive. There were on the roll in 1909 a total,,
of 6 2 0,9 8 5' pensioners and in 1914 a total of.
462,379 pensioners. - The percentage of loss
went lip .from '5.2 to 7.3. In some cases the
deaths of. Veterans caused additions to the pen
sion roll, as provision had to be made for de- -pendent
widows."
MONEY, GETTING AS LIFE OBJECT
In the passion for the mere accumulation of
wdalth a great many people become ''poverty
stricken" in the rich things that" their own"
wealth might bring if devoted to ideals of service
to themselves and their fellows. 'The Indian
apolis' Star tells of a Connecticut man who died
the other day at the age of 74, after spending
his life as a watchman at $2 a day. Further the
Star says:
''He lived the life of a recluse when off duty,
spending no money save for absolute necessi
ties, and 'subsiding, sd his relatives say,' almost
entirely on bread and onions. Iut he saved
money and. invested it shrewdly, so that when
he died he left an estate 'of $60,000.
"It would be interesting to know what he
thought about as all those years passed. Doubt
less he took pleasure in accumulating that
money, and 'it was probably a source -of satis
faction to him that he would not be dependent
on charity In his old age. But evidently money
had no-Value to-him except as money. It did not
represent- travel, or leisure, or acquaintance
with the world, or personal comforts and lux
uries. It did not appear to him as a means
whereby ho might relieve the necessities of 'his
fellow men, for if ho did not spend it on him
self, neither did ho spend it on others. Now
that ho is dead the money will be divided among
a small army of nephews and nieces, for whom
he seemingly cared "little in life, and his pain
fully accumulated treasure will be scattered far
and wide.
"He was of a class from which a broad 'out
look could hardly bo expected, but he was not,
after all so very different from a host of other
men of a supposedly higher grade of intelllgonco
and aspiration Who spend their lives in the pur
suit of wealth, hdving littlo use for It when it
is gained except to add more to its sum. They
have no pleasure except in the making of money,
and their lives afe hardly less circumscribed
than that of the Connecticut watchman. They
have rldhes in bank, but not a rich life. When
they finish their labors they huvo dollars, but
they have missed what is better than' dollars.
To seek wealth for the mere sake of wealth, and
to concentrate all the energies and interests oh
that pursuit, is a" sorry waste of existence that
might'have meant something more arid hetter."
WORK THAT WOMEN PREFER
Census figures relating to women's occupations
in New York city throw an interesting light on
the drift of female labor in the last ton years.
Commenting, on this, the Now York World says:
"Thus, while the number of actors In the
greater city declined from 4,733 toM,"207 lift
1900 and 1910, tho number of actress rHi
from 2,629 to '3,759. The number of tomtm
harbors, hairdressers and manicures incfe!
from 852 to 3,864; the number of bookkfcpthf.
cashiers and accountants from 8,2Sf.to 21,613:
tolograph and telephone operators from 2,k 06 to
7,362; milliners from 7,651 to 12,096; Maun
drosses from 16,102 to 17,823, and cigar and
tobacco factory operatives from 6,437 to ,761.
The number of womon musicians and music
teachers roso from 3,281 to 5,804, and women
stenographers and typewriters show the remark
ablo Increase from 10,868 to 33,769.
"Meantime, tho number of servants and wait
resses Incroased from 103,963 to but 122,367,
notwithstanding th0 groat growth of population.
Tho number of tailorossos and the number of
seamstresses and dressmakers oxhibit a marked
decline, assuming tho accuracy of tho figures
telegraphed from Washington and the agreement
of tho classification of tho former with the last
census. Tho number of saleswomen was 22,761
in 1910 as against 22,705 in 1900, and ther
was a decline in some forms of factory labor,
such as paper-box making.
"For a conclusivo showing of woman's chang
ing preferences in tho cholco of an occupation,
an analysis of the full census report will bt
necessary. But enough is contained in the sum
mary to indicate a marked tendency away from
laborious pursuits and a drift toward thos6 of a
politer nature which provide independence Wong
with congenial surroundings."
WHILE NINE NATIONS WAR
I .,.... , - ' y '
r- n '
fTREflTJES PFTOVIDING.FOR SN -V4f "iljOfpS' JMW I. &M
Ithe non-military treatment $Jki"ltffe,R SHuflf&fS&Wf $ WiWM :Sl
ir- ' mm- W$wmM&k wl MS miWm Mms
- .: i JfX,
By courtesy Central Press Association.
WHAT WE PAY FOR
The- recently-formed American So
ciety, for Thrift, which is to hold an
international congress at San Fran
cisco next year, has mado a tabula- '
tion of the annual c6st of tho alleged
extravagances of tho American peo:
pip, Automobiles, according to this
authority, cost $600,000,000 a year",
or little less than twico as ihuch as '
cigars and tobacco, which aro set at "
$350,000,000. Intoxicating drlftfe0
cost $1,00,000,000, and soft drinks5,'
such as those sold from soda foun
tains; at one-fifth as much, or $32fc,
000,000. Chewing gum costs -$25,i '
000,000, and confectionery $87,000,
000. Theaters, including1 moving
pictures and similar entertainments,
are rated at $600,000,000, while the
extravagances" in hotels, restaur
ants, tango teas, etc., or a sum more
than necessary for comfortable sub
sistence, is rated at $400,000,000:
Ths makes a total or more than $4,
000,000,000. And tnis amounts to
$40 per capita, $200 per family, or
one-fifth tho total expenditure of the
American peoplo for all purposes. -Boston
Herald.
A BOLD ORGAN
The- dyostuC enterprise has beei
open for a long time to the men ot
all parties and all occupations, and
yot the dyo stuffs have been made in.
Germany. Their manufacture will
continue in Germany so long as there
is iio premium offered to induce men
in tho United States to put their
money into tho business. They are
not going to try any experiments.
Des Moines Capital, Standpat Rep,
That's plain enough for anybody.
Men aro not going Into business in
this country unless the government
is pledged to be used in their Inter
est. Is the government guaranteeing
you, gentle reader, anything? The
boldness of the special privilege in
terests" Is enough to take away the
breath jof tho m .n who has to depend
upon his own efforts. Milwaukee
Journal.
.
Why tho protectionists In m their
longr period of control of the govera?
ment failed to make this couatjry.
self-sufficing in tho production o
dyestuffs must remain an eV3rltigii
mysUry. Springfield Republican.
ii
21
til