Moderate Prices

It seenis to be adiuitted, on all sides, that the past season was not a prosperóos one for the nummer hotels. Various reasons are asaigned for the tact - ainong others, that multitudes of those who usually frequent them went to Europe ia the spring. Still, if this be true, the questioi reinains undecided whether they did not go to Europe in order to get more pleasure and profit out of the same amount of money that they would be obliged to spend here, - nay, whether they did not go to save money. Indeed, we are inolined to think that the lack of patronage at the hotels, and the enorinous deportation of our wealthy population, are both owing to the high prioes demanded at our watering places for genteel fare and accommodation. If a man can have tho benefit of a sea-voyage and a delightful summer in Switzerland, for what it would coat him to make a tour of our principal watering-places, he will be very apt to pack his trunks for the foreign trip ; and we must honor his good taste and good judgment in the matter. vvnue tne nianimoth hotels and the high-priced places have inourned over their slender patronage, the seeond-class houses have very generally boen full. At Saratoga, tho suiall hotels aud boarding-houses have had guests in plenty. The boarding-houses and fariu-houses in all directions about the country have had an abundance of summer visitors. The truth is, we suppose, that business has Tint lií-í'ii crnrtf mnnAi l,,.,, V and the people have studied econoray. The expensive hotels can only be supported during periods of easy and large inoney-making, and the moment there comes a pinch, they feel it. ïhey are keyed too high, even for the average American high liíe. They never make too much rnoney in the best seasons ; and when the bad seasons come, they either make none at all, or lose. Who it is that goes on building trom year to year these expensive establishments, we do not kuw, tor nearly everybody who nieddles with them loses by them. They cost immense sums, they burn up, or they fail to pay rent and dividends. The permanent hotels of the great cities are built and furnished at the cost of millions, in which families pay from five ;housaud to ten thousand dollars a year or board. We may say here that much of the economy practiced in the summer is owing to the absolute impossibility of liying at a reasonable price in the winter. Whether one live at a hotel or buy or rent a house, it matters not. The reason why the great hotels are prosperous in the city is because a fainily can livo uueaper ui mem man at üousekeeping. If we seek for the reason of this, we fiud that only certain localities and only a certain grade of building and furniture are considerad respectable. Kespectable lif'e- genteel lite - is all on au expensive scale. A man with an income of less than ten thousand dollars a year cannot support his fainily and entertain bis friends in a style that would be considered genteel - much less, generous. Our whole American lifo is keyed too high. If a man go into business, he will not be content with either a moderate business or moderate profits. Everything must be on a large scale- business, living, hospitality- everything. ïho hotels are like the rest, and their proprietors expect to mako fortunes in ten years, and many of them do it. ïhere really seems to be no respectable place for a respectable f'amily of moderato means. The lqw-priced hotels are not genteel ; the low-priced houses are either unfit to be lived in or are in mean localities ; and thus the great need of the time -respectable homes for respectable men of moderate incomes - is unprovided for. If the Saratoga hotels should reduce their prices to $2.50 or $3.00 per day, and give their guests plaiu, wholsome fare, minus the splendor and the music, they would make monev. If a nica lar hotel could be established in a respectable quarter of New York, it would be crowded froin year's end to year's ead, and give a remunerativo income to all connected with it. If plain, cornfortable houses could be built in districts now unoccupied, for which their owners were willing to take a fair rent, people would not be driven by thousands, as they are íow, either into hotels or iuto the suburban towns. We have now iu New York ouly the rich and the poor. The middle class, who cannot live among the rich, and will not live among the poor, and take the risk of living among the vicious, as all do here who live among ;he poor, go out of the city to flnd their homes. So the words "To Let" stare upon us from the windows of a multitude of houses, which many would take at a 'air rent, but which nobody can afford to lire. Real estáte is very high, and conidering the scaruity of ïnoney, wonder'ully firm ; but a change will come sooner or later. Our greatest fear is that it can only come through a great commercial disaster, involving the overthrow of all existing prices, and another beginning at the bottom of the ladder.- Dr. J. O. Holland, Scrihner' s for October.