Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1917 — THRIFTY PEOPLE SAVE EARLY [ARTICLE]

THRIFTY PEOPLE SAVE EARLY

Only 2 Per Cent of Americans Die Well-to. Do. For the young man who thinks it a .manly thing to spend money freely, and jfrho sneers at the | thrifty person as “stingy” and. “mean,” here are a few facts that he may digest with profit: ' I Sixty-six of every 100 persons • dying in this country have absolutely no estate; they die penniless. Of the remaining thirty-four persons, twenty-five never accumulate more* than $1,300 in their lifetime, and die with, less than that. Only nine persons In 100 have more than $5,000 when they die. Only 2 per cent of the whole population may be classed as “well-to-do.” The other 98 per cent of the people of this country have only their wages from day to day, or are dependent upon relatives or upon charity. Of every 100 persons who reach the age of 65, no fewer than ninety-seven axe partly or wholly dependent upon relatives, friends or charity for food, clothing or shelter. These figures are not mere estimates. They are taken from the government census statistics and are arranged and given out by the president of the American Society for Thrift, a society organized by some representative business .men Who see a real danger to our nation in the American tendency to wastefulness. It will be seen from these figures that thrift is a virtue that needs to be taught to young people. The boy who squanders his youth in riotous living, expecting chance or luck to bring him a fortune later in life, should scan these figures and learn that he has just nine chances in 100 to ever accumulate $5,000 or more, and if he is to be one of the fortunate ones he must begin early to save. —Kansas City Star.