Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1880-12-15
dividuals experience. The writer
signing himself G. II. b., says:


lies mission, when | know, as
know that live, that happ,
, home on earth with peace ant
, plenty, is within easy reach o
every able-bodisd, homeless man il
the United States.
Not until | found myself a home
, less and penniless wanderer laftel
|. following the pillow in my own fur
rows for seven years. did | real.
T ize what hollow and cold comfort
there is in the popular theories OF
reform, political and social, of the
day, to men without homes of their
own.
Tonight, as the cold, wintry
winds are bowling around my snug
little cabin, far back in the wilder
dess of Northern Michigan. we,
lwife, two little children an 4 nv
self gathered around our coy
fireside and realize that we have a
home of our own and an abundance
of the ordinary comforts of life
safely beyond the reach of land
lords, capitalists and profit mong-
ers of the cold world. | feel rich,
indeed, when reviewing tho past
eight years of struggle to get a
home, although in 1870 | felt
wretched and poor with twenty
times my present capital. | ask
myself; Is it possible that a re-
cital Of the truths that have been
literally ground into my hearts
core-ot my struggle from penni-
lessness and dependence to home
and real Independence, at the low
est grade Of labor and lowest wa
ges, under the most hopeless cir
cumstances that ever surrounded
man-can do any good to homeless
workers East
When ! know these truths. j. e.,
that the physical strength Of l5-
year old lad, well directed, will pro-
cure enough of life's necessaries
and comforts to sustain at least
five families the year round, if the
worker will only trust in his God.
and so to the soil for his employer,
| feel as though ! was called to
preach to the homeless workers
throughout our country the truths
that have cost me such terrible
suffering to learn, to point them
the way that | have been driven rs
their only salvation.
Within cannon shot Of my cabin |
on all sides lie thousands of acres |
Of the most fertile land on this
continent, every forty acres Of
which would make a happy home
and an Independent living for
large family, and this with only
Eve hours work daily after the
first years start. What! If this
is true, is it not well worth while /
for the workingmen to think, and |
think seriously, if they love their
wives and little ones, whether il is
best TO waste their lives and wear |
out their bodies in hopeless slav-
cry, or strike for home and liberty. |
II ! could impress the simple truth !
upon the minds Of the working
men Of the difference between 1
bondage and freedom-between the |
life Of a wage worker, no matter
how great the wages, in the facto-
ries and mines, and the life Of
pioneer on his own soil, in his own
cabin, between working ten and |
eleven hours daily under an over
seer, and working as YOU please at
home-oh, could rouse them up
and make them wild men indeed.
For the past few years there has
been a great rush for the Western
praries. Timbered lands have been
at discount. II the simple truth
of the immensely superior natural
advantages of Michigan, with its
growth of beach and maple, its
rich soil, pure, everlasting water,
spring brooks meandering over
nearly every section and the un-
rivalled health of the climate could
once be known to those intending
to emigrate, no one would pass it
by and go hundreds Of miles far
Their west to find home. No such
solid prosperity can be found in
the United States as exists in
Michigan, and in no part of Mich
igaD can there be found such a
perfect farming country as in the
north central part OF the lower
peninsula.
II will pay those in the Eastern
States intending to ego West" to
try and learn of the truth OF this
statement.
There can be no mistake: no
man need be deceived. Wheat
will tell. Never were there such
opportunities offered for stock rails
ing, and in fact all kinds of farm
ing carried on in the North, as are
found here. Men Of small means
from $500 TO s1,000-can certain.
ly become wealthy in few years
in this section. On the prairie the
poor man cannot turn his labor to
account in obtaining timber. lum- |
Der, fuel and water. Capital alone
can do this. Here in a timbered |
country, with the start Of an axe.
six months food, a COW and OK
team. a man can aasilv nnt his unu