Question

question 1-20
hayseed like me
i once was a tool of oppression
as green as a sucker could be
and monopolies banded together
to beat a poor hayseed like me.
the railroads and the old party bosses
together did sweetly agree;
they though there would be little trouble
in working a hayseed like me.
use the song and your knowledge of u.s. history to answer the question below.
which statement best describes one of the primary causes of the problems faced by the author of the song?
○ agricultural products were being destroyed by natural disasters
○ agricultural products were overproduced and under consumed
○ farmers were being overcharged by the railroad companies
○ the votes of farmers were not being counted at the polls.

Explanation:

The song references railroads (monopolies) oppressing "hayseeds" (farmers), which aligns with the historical issue of railroad companies overcharging farmers for shipping agricultural goods in late 19th-century U.S. history. The other options are not supported by the song's text.

Answer:

Farmers were being overcharged by the railroad companies