The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1889-08-30
The UNIONS ~arraignment OF the gag
rale element OF the republican party, in

rlle clement OF the republican party, in
its last issue was a sumner to the In
dian sheet us is evidenced by the char
acter OF its attempted reply in Satur-
days issue. AS soon after THE UNION
lmc into existence as the Republican
could find any excuse it started its
mud mill with a grand flourish and roar
That was intended to be terrifying. The
first grist was net by IL broadsidc OF
truth that changed the roar whine, and
lessened the quantity OF mud, an
other volley OF truth and the whine has
become a wall, and Il very thin wall at
that. The burden OF the Republicans
song has been that THE UNION, being
the successor OF the Democrat, is a
democratic sheet. intent upon splitting
the republican party in two and cor
railing some OF the rich things that are
to be distributed. This proposition is
too absurd for THE UNION to discuss,
nor is there any danger that the public
will for a moment be misled by the silly
assertions OF the Doodle organ. What
seems to worry the advocate-of-any-
thing-for-money, is that The UNION
isn't ready to stulify itself by endorsing
the action OF the Pennington county
republican convention, Or rather OF a
few men who manipulated the concern
in their own interests. Why don't the
Republican deny that corrupt methods
were used to pack the convention
through the primaries? Would the
falsehood be too rank for even it's rub
Der conscience? All 1t darcs to say is
the following SWIVEL:
The assertion that 100 voters were
bought with money and whiskey, is the
most brazen and contemplate libel ever
uttered against the people OF this COM
munity! And yet this libelous sheet en-
deavors to live off these same people!
Everyone who participated in the pri-
mary knows as great an effort was put
forth to secure votes by one side as the
other. 1t has been generally asserted
that around the polls the leaders and
workers on the side espoused by the
Union were the nor conspicuous and
persistent in their endeavor to secure
votes.
1t is not to be wondered that the Re
publican managers call that statement
a libel. There is never IL criminal
arraigned who doesn't complain about
the manner in which he is slandercd and
his good nam injured. The truth may
be libelous, but the truth when told for
justifiable reasons and for good pur-
poses is a complete defense to the
charge. The UNION made the charge
and it is true, SO true that those accused
know better than to make any fuss
about it. So far as It's being an acclsa-
ton against the people OF tins county
IS concerned it mas no more relation to
the people OF this county than q state |
ment that a dozen men had been arrest
ed for forgery or counterfeiting would
have. 1t wasn't the, people of this coun-
ty who did the Euying, it a IL little
crowd of active office seekers who were {
Moody money to make the people|
t Pennington county obey the crack of d.
lie party whip. HE UNION said they le
ought the denizGns Of the houses of i'll WI
me, that they bought the FOUNDERS IN
buns. 1T is true. THE UNION isn't CT
wing OIL from this class OF people, they we
even read 1T, only as they steal IL \ c
or borrow 1T from decent people who do {
take 1T, when 1T gets its support from
themoral cutters and sewers OF society it
Will have passed to such management
as has disgraced the Republican and
made it a stencil in the nostrils OF de-
cent citizens.
In it's attempts to stir up prejudice
against THE UNION it says:
"If it vas true republican it would
accept the verdict and bow to the will
OF the majority, it would stand up and
take its medicine Ike Il man and there
by gam the aspect of its opponents as
all honorable political combatants do.
Instead OF that it resorts OF f~alschood,
abuse and vituperation OF the great
majority OF republicans OF this city.
Such pusillanimous conduct can only be
accounted Tor in one way. This sheet is
a~.mallgnant Toe Of the republican party
and It's great leader, out OF it's own
mouth we condemn it and prove the
charge by the extracts above quoted"
If a paper must endorse bribery false
hood, bulldozing and blackmail in order
to be accounted as "true republican,"
The UNION beg. leave to lie counted out.
That threat OF party ostracism if one
follows the dictates OF his own conscience
has ever been the chief dependence of
corrupt politicians, and especially has
this been true here. A little crowd Of
office seekers will manipulate the ire
sponsible non-tax paying portion Of the
community, pay them to attend the
caucuses, pledge them to work for them,
capture the convention by such means
and then appeal to party patriotism to
keep the voters in line. When nothing
but argument and persuasion is used,
there Is enough that is wrong, but when
all the baser methods mentioned are
used it is the duty Of honest citizens to
oppose the action and condemn the
actors. When the majority OF the re-
publicans OF Pennington county endorse
man or measure. The UNION will
notoppose its judgement against theirs,
but when thirteen would-be office seekers
succeed in stealing and buying the con-
troll Of convention The UNION don't
propose to be whipped or .coaxed into
line. 1t will try to know what the re-
publicans OF this county want and help
them TO get it. The UNION was told
that it could make good wages to give
the Moody crowd a lift, bnt it wasn't for
sale. 1t never will be. 1t amt built
that way.
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