America's Wastefulness

'"The most conspicuous tbing iu all my travels?" remarked the globe trotter. "Well, I've been pertty much over the world in my time, and I've seen quite a bit, but I know I sliall astonish you when I say that the thing whioh has impressed me most is the eoonomy of food abroad and the waste of food at home. "Understand all this statement implies. Absolntely nothing is thrown away or wasted iu continental Europe. And the econoiny of food is more marked iu China, Japan and the Asiatio commies. There is uo doubt in my miud but tbat we in the United States waste more food in a year than is consurued in Franoe in the same time. Wbat a siugle New York servaut girl slams into the gaibage barrel every week would support a dozen Chinese 'amilies. And vet our people are alvays complaiuirjg of hard times, and are making wry faoes about getting aloug in tbe world. "This waste begins at the very 'oundations of omr society and business, and runs all the way up. The Americau farmer is a man who has íurned off great traots of valuable tim)er, worth íive times tbe land oq whjch t grew to raise grain, to bnru for firevood. That laúd tociay is buc half illfid, taking the fields of Germany and other European countries into comparison. Uutil very lecently all tlie refnse about milis and manufantories vas destroyed ; now matiy of them turn ;heii' slabs intoinrniture and their sawdust iuto fuel. Again, as to food. Any lody who bas traveled much and knows vbat sort of food one gets in tbe south ■jufl west - auywbere outside of the big asteru cities - will appreciate it when say that at least onehalf the food is vasted. This is partly through bad ookery and partly through mere vasteful management. All food not assimihtted is wasted - worse than vasted, ior it wears the system out to 10 purpose. The oommon hotel and ramily oookery makes assiinilatioo raotically impossible. So much for what is eaten. That whioh is actually throw'D away wonld feed inilliciDS. If it could be diverted iiito the proper chaunels it would inake human suffering from want of food hiipossible in this country. More - the waste wonld feed the indigent hnngry of the whoïe world ! ïhere is something aotnally crimiaal iu all this. But I presume it oau't be helped until the American nature shall have undergcme a bange. -