The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1918-10-24
Former Advocates
Sil]|G T0I h Reduce
HIgl GOa 0I LIInl

Following is part Of an address de.
Diycrcd by George p Hampton at the
Conference ON the High Cost of iiy-
ing held at Washington, D. G., July
81. MIR. Hampton is editor Of the
Farmers Open Forum which is the
bulletin of the Farmers Non-Partisan
league and it's affiliated organiza-
ions. including the Rural Credit
League Of America, the National Mar
setting Committee and the Farmers
National Committee ON Tan Reform.
Ills clean cut analysis of the real
problems facing the producing farmer
and the worker in the city is worthy
of careful consideration
There would be no problem Of the
high cost of living If there were no
monopoly OF the natural resources OF
the earth. This being true it follows
that the way to reduce the cost Of
living is to abolish this monopoly. The
reason for mounpoli2ing natural re-
source is to compel those dependent
on that natural resource to pay trib.
ute to the monopoizer. In essence
,his Is Identical with the tribute eN-
acted from commerce by the bucca'
nccrs of all ages. 1t is this mOnOp-
oily tribute which must be paid be-
fore the workers can have a cent,
that adds to every product of human
labor an excessive and CXtOrtiOnate
price. while the workers struggle to
make ends meet on a steadily decltn-
ing wage. Under these circumstances,
no matter how much money wages
may advance, there will be an actual
decline I'm wages If the cost Of living
advances more rapidly than the wages.
The monopoly of our coal lands has
produced our millionaire coal barons;
of iron mines our iron and steel
barous. Of copper mines our copper
/ barous, Of land cur land barOns, of
trade and transportation our trade
and transportation barons; and
through the monopoly of our water
rowcr still other barons have been
added to the group Of those whose
enormous incomes are made up OF
tribute which our present laws enable
them to compel the workers to pay
The outward and visible sign Of that
tribute is the rise in the cost Of ltv
ing.
Democracy Being Destroyed.
| We fight for world democracy while
the steady rise IN the cost OF living
| is proof that democracy is being de
| stroy,i at home. 4 democracy is 4
government Of. for and by the people
in which the earth and all its natural
resources are held as an eternal her
itage to be shared in equally by all
Democracy must destroy privilege oI
privilege will destroy democracy.
The remedy for the high cost o
living Is simple. Destroy land monop
oily by tax on land values lSingl
TAX. and wherever the value Of
natural rcsource--ijkC that OF on
coal, iron and copper mines and oi
wells-Cannot be adequately reache,
by land value tax, have the govern
] ment take them over and operat
them for the common good.
The honest, direct peasants of Ru.
sia blazcd the way to ecOnomi
democracy by restoring the land t
the people. Unless We are equal
sane, fundamental and honest "
shall lose the greatest opportunity c
proving to the world our sincere b.
r lief in real democracy. The prcsei
o congress should cease inycnting metl
e ods to extort more of the meager earl
. ings of farmers and other worker
by insidious, picayune and predator
d taxes upon coffee, cocoa, suga
l freight rates, and all the necessitit
% of life, and tax land values-the on
method Of raising revenue to finanI
y the war democratcally without TO
ID bing the workers.
NJ This Is democracy, and ali Amel
49, cans are pleading for democracy
, LOYALTY to the ideals of President W
ID son. Congress surely will not refu
De democracy to America.