New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-14
POVERTF VELY MET.


INDEPENDENCE REACHED By HARD WORK
me HEROIC TREATMENT EMPLOYED IL WESTERN
wILpERNsss-REsULT OF 1T AS TOLD BY ISE
Man nlMsEIF-His ADVICE TO EASTERN WORK
INGMKN.
10 ne EDITOR or The Tribune.
Smi Surprising that you bad discovered truth
which II generally known 10 the homeless and des-
tltute of this country and acted upon. would make
evofy slave freeman and save his soul as wen as
his body would t not be hard work for you to keep
sullf In 1872 was cast out upon the world
heartbrokon wandeIer pennlless, fuendless, and
wrecked IA all ways that sensitive being can be.
The gods set me down in this wilderness with six
months food half a mans strength and an axe, and
told me to cut out or die. After few sinking
spelsr of despair. struck for freedom-AuNlst %,
1877. The very elements have fought against me;
the sparse northumberland Of whom are OF
the chronic poor class. borrowers. spOngers and
dead-bcats-have bled me at every step, taxing me
fully 500 yearly. To-day have about thirty acres
Of wilderness swept. and twenty acres ID wheat
aud can stand alone without the assistance of capi-
tahsts
While have been the very weakest man physi-
cally IN q Multitude, have accomplished over twice
rs much-at the heaviest kind of work known to
man--as the strongest man IN the township. what
seemed to he an utter impossIbllity on the start
found after trying. to be only boys play. ms
truth have leamed-al that the Creator requires
Of even the weakest man IN host Is TO work daily
enough for healthy exercise in order 10 procure
every comfort and necoss " Of life and that ninety
nine-onchundredhs OF those who suffer for want OF
these things are either ndoent or improvident, and
that ablcct poverty not only disgrace but pos
tive crime | read in the Cincinnati speeches of
I hat Z IL ei or Nation
its workingncu 10 dress in rags. and be denied the
comforts If Hfe," etc, etc. About nineteen
twentcths Of these "homesteadeTs," who are on
lands given them free Of price, the very richest soil
I'm the United Statos. cannot and will not make
living of the soil. They depend on wages
mostly and not ono In ten a foot Of land hve'
years after he gets bis deed Of land from the Gov
eminent. These men cannot properly use their
time nj work on thoir own lands. Habtual serving
for wages has unnamed them. Who's TO blamef
Not the Nation surely What does this meant !.
tho weakest ono IN a host and alone. raised
moro wheat the first wheat year. on
new place. than the whole township of iif-
teen voters and eight teams raised the fifth year
af or The first settlement. l wish dare write you
the story of my struggles amongst this class But
tins truth dare proclaim The man or class of men
that suffers for bread and clothing tat least in Mchi-
paul the tate that he submits to. Those who
submit 10 oppression tamoV and without q brave
struggle Will inAlct upon those over whom they
have power the Same injustice thoughtlessly and
rcmoTsclessly,
The struggle 10 got ont of this Wilderness has
short aed my life twenty years, but it has taught
me that 1t Is the spirit within. and not the outward
environments. that controls a mans fortune and
gives HIM freedom OF slavery. Could people
the difference between the pioneers Of thirty and
forty wears ago in Southern and Eastern Michigan
-rffv. ro-ahead workers and these ''mossbacks"
IN FREQ lands in a condition of chronic poverty, los
ing their lands and drifting back TO wage slavery
ocain and then added TO this could they feel tax
If one-haf of all their scanty earnings, by contact
with them, they, 100, would be madmen. as they
Will say that am when say tnat TINS pressure mas
driven me- wcakiing. to learn ways whereby the
sfrenrtl of "a fifteen yeaT-Old lad can perform the
work of two stout men at clearing heavy tlmbered
land. , III
cyerv superior opportunity in life, at last finding
Themselves most Utterly helpless and sunen In hope
less bondage. And have also seen men, earning
Inc lowest wages and with seemingly insurmOunt-
able obstacles IN their paths, overcome al Things
and achieve success at last. his Is the rule almost
sands Of men all hands for from 80 tOS5 per acre,
each acre OF which Will produce from thirty 10 forty
bushels of wheat; twenty acres OF which VIII make
a good worker Independent IN three years. with
3 zoo to start on. And yet the workers IN the East
are talking of revolution and war in order to obtain
freedom. -,
Would it do any good TO tell my story to, these
mon Condensed il i this From the very lowest
pit Of poverty. with broken spirit ana shattered
body, have since 1877 cut through solid wilder
ness 10 industrial independence; and this while
losing half Of my time and fully 0ne-halt Of my
earning, by bad men. Would It put spirit INTO the
oppressed Ifnot, then the wealth Of the Roths-
cbilds would not brrak their chains What have
done every man in the host do easily If he Will
Can Won rot try and wake up these sieepersf If
they can know the truth. each one will free HIM
self How quickly would discomfort disappear
from amongst the labOrng masses or Europe II
landslide best in the cOuntrv-cOud be had on the
same continent at from SO TO 50 per acre. Unless
fine American laboTeT learns 10 look higher than
serving others for wages through life, and looks
mon self-emplOyment as the end and wages as tho
means he is a slave indeed You can see where we
are drifting The rise of classes employers ana en-
plovedl. The SOL is the only refuge. Point them
this way Here they can be free. My little work
proves that dbject poverty IS as unnecessary as a
want of AR and water Hero 10 a paradise for
workers and they can unlock the gates with the
axe. A man who does not dread life of seryltude
worse than death will be a slave. Though l have
paid a round price for freedom don't Rrudge IL.
would have paid many lives as freely before man
should put his yoke on aud keep II there. Tell
the poor services that they too, get tho prize at
one-balf the cost that have paid. If they VIII get
down low and dig. Pay the prlce and the blessing
will come. u bAkLUN'
IN N. UilderRess Twenty-Five miles north Of EtGrt,
Mich. March g. 1850.