182 THE HIGH COST OF LIVING 



of experience that high wages usually mean low 

 labor cost. Nor is the explanation to be found in 

 the exhaustion of natural resources, or a demand 

 far in excess of the supply. Some changes have 

 taken place in our life during the past generation 

 that intercept the gains which should have come to 

 society from the marvellous discoveries, inventions, 

 and increase in production. 



The explanation is to be found in monopoly which 

 has become all-pervasive. It has entered into almost 

 every industry and controls almost eveiy necessity 

 of life. And an examination of the more important 

 items in the family budget enumerated above shows 

 that the control of the land and the natural resources 

 of the nation is the most important monopoly of 

 all. It involves food, fuel, lumber, building ma- 

 terials, iron, steel, copper. It involves the land 

 underlying the city, the sites of our homes whether 

 we own or rent them, whether in the city or the 

 country. To-day the resources of America are un- 

 der the control of a group of monopolies and trusts 

 while the land is kept out of use by the prohibitive 

 prices at which it is held. 



Monopoly of natural resources and with it the 

 denial of opportunity to work and monopoly of 

 transportation are the primary causes of the increase 

 in the cost of living, of the necessities and comforts 

 of life. The monopoly of land, of fuel, timber, and 

 other natural products can be reached by taxation. 



