HIGH COST OF LIVING AND FARMER 55 



which was undesirable. The fact is, the extent 

 of the increase in land values was much over- 

 stated, many of the reports being based upon 

 the operation of land speculators who thrive 

 in such a situation. Even farmers were some- 

 times misled and those who bought farms at 

 record prices have since found that they are 

 unable to pay for them. They have lost their 

 investment and the land has gone back to the 

 first owner since it has been impossible to make 

 payments on the new high values with prodnctB 

 selling at much lower values. 



The city critics overlook the fact that any 

 substantial and general advance in farm land 

 prices is not desirable, even from the consumers* 

 standpoint, since such advances merely increase 

 the primary capital investment upon which an 

 interest in turn must be paid out of the price 

 received for food products and this increases 

 the cost of production by a fixed charge that can 

 not be ignored. 



The cost of living agitation wore out in time 

 and we have heard less of it since prices have 

 begun to decline in all lines. But the evils of 

 the wide margin between the prices paid to 

 producers and those paid by consumers, con- 

 tinues; and unless we improve our methods of 



