Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1912-02-08
THE HIGH COST or LIVING
BY A. S. AKERS.

Anu all IIl6 resi- CIldI Ilcu u6NOuT,
Including cabbage spuds and flour,
And telling us the reason why,
The cost of living is so high,
| thought it hardly out Of place
For me to ask little space
And let a common green hay-seed
Explain to you just what we need
But first let's view the past and see
What others think the cause to be.
The other fellows in the press
Are very eager to confess
That they are not at all to blame,
And make attempt to prove the same.
But when they spouting all the time,
Their disapproval of the crime
And giving evidence galore,
To clear their skirts forevermore
1t makes me pause and scratch my head
While summing up the things that are saiC
And when see the evidence given
want to voice my skepticism.
His Majesty, Honorable ]. ]. Hill
Presents to all his handmade pill,
And asks us each to gulp er down
And solve the issues Of the town.
The composition of his dose
Is all the same or very close
To that of others handmade jam
That's handed out to Uncle Sam.
He says the only reason why
The cost Of living is so high
eve live too high for our own good,
And have more luxuries than we should. y
And that the price will further rise
Unless we learn to economic.
Some say that all in their decision
Lies in proper tariff revision.
Some few would make it lower,
While others like to see it soar.
Entire free-trade would be the plan,
If left to- won't name the man,
For he is only one of many,
Who thinks the power of the penny
Would be increased to that extent
That prices would make quick descent.
| hear one say: I'm sure it must
Be caused by rulings of the trust. :"
And with the help that he can muster
Sets out determined for to buster.
Again we often hear the cry,
While talking bout the grub so high,
'The darned hay-seed the dirty cuss,
He's the one that caused this fuss. p"
The produce which the farmer raises,
He charges for to beat the blazes.
Such dope as this we are aware
Is far from anything that's fair;
For realizing good and well
That when we have some spuds to sell,
Or anything along that line,
Including cattle, sheep, and swine,
The other fellow sets the price,
And we, like helpless little mice,
Fall easy victim of his gall.
But wait minute; that's not all.
We ask the price of that we sell,
And that we buy we ask as well.
You see, they squeeze us as we go,
And as we come they do also.
And so | hope I've made it plain
And cleared the farmer of the blame
For this, the all prevailing cry,
About the living being so high.
But now to find the guilty one,
For which this sonnet was begun;
And strip him of his vesture free,
So all the world can plainly see
The hidden secret of the game,
And Enthusiastically place the blame.
The system under which we live
Is so arranged that we must give
A certain portion of our store
To those who luckily came before.
Though many of the master class
Have reached the age where man must pas
From flesh and bone that styles his frame,
Back to the earth from whence he came.
'Tis sad to know that man must die,
But sadder still for you and
To know that power expressed in riches,
Legally dons the dead mans breeches:
With scepter raised and all agleam,
Accepts his power all supreme,