The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-02-09
RIG4 COST O. LIVING
Lowell, Fla, Feb. 6. 1917.

To the Editor Ocala Banner:
There is 50 much being said ana
written about the high &C OF living
that it has become bC:e to me, anu
having overcome this problem, ASA
that YOU grant me space TO answer
this all absorbing question.
II can be answered with but one
word-PRODUCE-i you do not pro-
duce and lend your ever id TO pro
duction. then how can y0r reap the
benefits from prevailing conditions
The great trouble today j.. that the
country is being depopG'ated and
cities overpopulated Just take your
self for an airing around yoar own lit
tie city. and see if YOU do not encount-
err many who would and could better
their conditions if they would but re
turn to the country, and bend their
energy towards producing.
/ say. and DEFY contradiction,
that if one half the population OF the
cities would return to the. country and
devote the same time and energy TO
producing that they now devote to
their employers. they would be far
more happy and prosperous They
would have happy homes. surrounded
by happy. healthy children, living in
contentment and freedom. but this
means work. hard work dirty farm
work. and rather than milk the cows,
feed the pigs. and otherwise soil their
hands, they prefer To remain in the
cities and toll from day TO day with no
freedom. no happiness. under the die
tatiOn of some boss, who even dictates
the hour you must arise, the hour in
which to eat, and how many minutes
in which to consume that scanty meal.
made more scanty because you will
not lend your aid to help produce, and
when your hard days work is finished
You return to your cherries tireside,
made cheerless because that SIS or
Sl& or perhaps 500 per week salary
you are drawing will not permit you
TO buy sufficient fuel TO burn a cheer
full fire. and as you sit by your cheer
less tireside, and gaze upon that
sweet faced girl you promised to sup
port. and see the roses have faded
from her cheeks. that her face is bag
gard and worn. made so from her con
slant effort to stint and save, hat she
might make ends meet on that measly
meager salary you are drawing it is
then that YOU howl about the high
cost Of living. you then retire. with but
one thought upon your brain. THAT
High Cost of Living when at last
from sheer exhaustion you finally fall
asleep. it is only to dream of The
High Cost of Living"
Now | ask that you let your
thoughts wander for moment TO the
High Cost of Living"
We will compare the present day
values with those Of year ago. Eggs
are selling for forty cents the dozen.
but The farmer must feed his hens on
$500 corn. while last year this corn
was only selling for $l25 the sack.
Good hogs are selling today ut around
$40 the head. but they 100 have been
fed on $50 peanuts. | could go on
ana on an enumerate practically
every article or commodity produced
upon the farm. and it could only be
compared with the above items. Then
besides each and every item connect
ed with or used upon the farm has
advanced fully 50 per cent. and all
farming tools. implements. and live
stock have advanced in proportion.
We are now paying - per cent
more for labor than year ago, cows.
horses. mules, plows. all machinery.
even the gasoline and oils with which
TO operate this machinery has greatly
advanced, fertilizers, lands. sacks.
bags, and bagging have gone sky high.
an ordinary pair of cotton pillow lines
for which the farmer two years ago
paid fifteen cents the pair are now
costing thirty cents the pair. being
made from that fifty three cent cotton
and fifty-three cent cotton caused bv
lack of production. and that lack Of
production caused by TOO many flock.
Ing to the cities and deSertinp rho
farms.
Practically everything connected
with or used upon the farm has adj
yanced from % per cent. to in many
instances 80 per cent. even automo.
biles have continued to advance each
year and the only thing I know IF
that has not advanced within the past
twelve months is FORDS, but as a
farmer VIII not use a FORD he has