Show THE COST OF I LIVING A writer in the Portland Oregonian thinks It easy cas to explain h cost coal lof I of living is II so high He says sa it is is B duo duoto duoto duoto to the t fact that staple articles arc uro scarce that men mon women boys and girls are arc averse to lo the labor necessary for Cor or tho the production pr of o farm products There may ma ho bo something in this lila ar aI argument but it Is not a complete state statement statement ment meat of tho case While the drift Is IB toward the cities there thoro IB ta also a n conn coun counter tf ter r current toward the rural districts and It ft Is getting stronger year cal by b year oear The fact is the profits of the toller toiler are stolen from him Tho age of com combinations combinations and nut trusts has borne borno heavily on tho the tiller of the soil Roll Let L l him raise tremendous crops and aud the chances arc that the jobber will make more money 10 to 1 than will the husbandman The Tho Th of or supply and demand and consequently of profit and and loss Joss to the producer Is la subject to manipulation tion ion t with the tho result thal the farmer often orten soils soliE olI his crop at a low figure rather than risk the possibility of O los losing ing i ng It altogether It Is a safe guess that hat If this condi condl condition tion ion could be changed and the pro products products products ducts of the farm fann placed In the pockets pocket of ot the agriculturist tho ho farm would I become more and anel more attractive But Dut no man of sense wishes to work like Ike l a slave sla e on a or 01 twenty wenty t acre tract when with lees loos labor laboi he hean I can c an live lIe In comparative luxury In tho the city ell Rapid transportation Is doing a great deal for the country and It will do tIe a 3 great deal more moro when wion some wise man devises an actual square deal for Tor forthe the he t truck gardener g or farmer when he comes onies c to town to sell his products |