p. 11 | Hard Times by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, Cal. · Jul 16, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 27.

Hard Times.

By Editor

It does not look like hard times in the United States, when we take into account that $200,000,000 is the value placed by the government upon the luxuries imported into the United States during the last fiscal year. This does not take into account all of those of home manufacture. These articles include diamonds, art work, laces and embroideries, champagne and other wines, tobacco in its various forms, ostrich feathers, artificial flowers, toys, perfumeries, cosmetics, jewelry, manufactured articles of gold and silver, etc., etc. In many of these the imports of the fiscal year of 1912 exceed in value those of any earlier year. But this is not a true index of conditions. There are classes who are prospering, but there are many, very many, who feel the pinch of poverty. Increased cost of living has exceeded the increase of wages. In fact, it argues for more dissatisfaction between classes, this constant increase of luxuries, together with the growing hard times on the part of those who receive minimum wages. The constantly growing contrast is increasing the discontent.