The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-06-17
GEO. P. HAMPTON
ANSWERS CALL

The sudden death of George 7.
Hampton, Managing Director OF
the Farmers National Council, due
chiefly to his continued overwork
for the farmers of America, to
whose service he cOnsecratcd the
mature years of his life has taken
from American farmers a valiant,
resourceful and courageous friend
who cannot be replaced. Mr.. Hamp-
tons wide experience and marvel
Gus knowledge of men, affairs and
conditions in our country, and
throughout the world made him
conspcuously useful to farmers
whose cause no one has ever more
clearly grasped, carefully presented
or worked for in the national cap
ital.
Mr.. Hampton realized that agri-
culture is today in critical stage,
that no nostrum would cure the con
ditions, that farmers are subject to
the economic laws which control
the destinies and direct the actlvl-
ties of all men and women. lie
fearlessly advocated the program
for economic freedom of the Farm
ers' National Council He has made
enemies because the farmers have
enemies and he was the farmers
friend and would not swerve from
expressing himself, and attacking
those who opposed the laws and
measures to which the farmer is
entitled.
Mr.. Hampton fully realized the
common Fundamental interests OF
workers on the farms in factories,
mines, transportation and trade.
He clearly saw the tremendous
waste in our system of distribution
and realizing that cooperation be-
tween producers and consumers
would make possible the elimination
Of useless and parasitic middlemen
and be a boon to both, he issued a
call for the first Cooperative Con
gress of farm and labor organiza-
tions and the general public. From
that meeting held in Chicago in
November, 1919, there was developed
the All-American Cooperative Com
mission, the most powerful and hope
full union of farm and labor organ
izations to stimulae and develop
cooperative banking and direct trad
ing between farm producers and
city consumers.
Because he saw the common in
terests of all workers he joined in
the combination of these forces in
the Peoples Reconstruction League,
and accepted service as member
of the Executive Committee of the
Peoples Legislative Service.
These activities were the climax
of his long record of service.
In 1910 he became Secretary of
the progressive Grange movement
which was later organized into the
Farmers National Council. Through
the progressive organizations Mr..
Hampton and his associates made
their successful fight for the de-
natured alcohol law, the parcels post,
and oleomargarine legislation, and
through them also he conducted a
campaign for better credit and mar
keting facilities for farmers.
Mr.. Hampton was born in Ports
mouth, England, and came to this
country at the age Of twenty, and
engaged in mechanical engineering
making a striking success of his
profession. He was drawn more
however to journalism and edited
the National Single Taxer for sew
eral years. Mr. Hampton was a
personal friend of Henry Georges
and great admirer of his intellec-
tual acumen and devoted believer
in his economic philosophy. He is
survived by his widow Charlotte E.
Hampton, and his only child Miss
Florence Hampton of New York.
Mr. Hampton was often charged
with being in advance of public
thought in the farm world, but that
thought has rapidly caught up with
him and events have completely JUS
titled and indicated his judgment.
The fight against the Cummins-
Esch law in which he took lead