Last week our attention was called to an advertisement in a Chicago daily newspaper which furnished another illustration of the predicament in which our farmers find themselves today. At the same time, the item may well have served to nourish the dreams of many city dwellers by impressing upon them how easy it is nowadays to buy a place in the country and become their own boss.

The advertisement read as follows: "If you have $700 cash, you can buy a 345-acre farm with full equipment, nine cows, horses, machinery, and furniture. The soil is excellent, and the farm is conveniently located in a progressive community, near church, school, stores, and market place. Total price asked is $2,600 if quick deal can be made.

A person who is not familiar with present conditions in our farm districts is 2likely to consider this a very promising opportunity. But upon closer investigation, he will hear a pitiful story. Here is an excerpt from a letter which the Svenska Tribunen-Nyheter received last week: "I am enclosing a two-dollar money order for the renewal of my subscription, and would like to add that I am broke and have practically no income. I have a 1,285-acre farm, 25 horses, 65 cows, 105 hogs, and 200 chickens, but can not sell anything except some eggs, for which I get 15 cents a dozen."

This explains why farms are offered for sale at a price which does not even cover the cost of the equipment, a situation resulting from the low prices on farm products. But how about the prices which the consumer has to pay? Is it not a fact that he pays fifty cents for a dozen eggs? This is only one example among many.

It is certainly high time that our legislators do something to relieve the destitute farmers. And no satisfactory and lasting results can be obtained until the parasites who speculate in food and other necessities are put out of business.