The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1889-10-25
The recent senatorial contest at Pierre
demonstrates that the farmers alliance as

fit. While the statement is untrue
experience seems to confirm it. The
facts are that the farmers know what
they want but have not, as yet, agreed
upon the way to obtain it. They are
abundantly capable OF running any
state or set OF states on earth but they
are so modest, so much afraid OF being
called schemeing, selfish politicians that
they stand back and allow the polite
ians to take all that is desirable. In the
present legislature the farmers have 1O3
votes, yet they allowed Moody and
Pettigrew, two bosses, two professional
who despise the farmers as
the English lords do the Irish peas
antry, to capture the concern and elect
themselves to the highest Offices in the
new state. Those who attended the
brief session say that Edgerton, was by
are the most popular candidate under
consideration, but the bosses whipped
and hired him into line. They told him
he was not certain OF election to the
senate and that he couldn't afford to
miss it and not have anything else in
sight. Moody and Pettigrew proposed,
in case they were elected to the senate
to make him a United States Judge.
The scare and the bait did the work and
Edgerton transferred his strength to his
enemies, betrayed his friends for the
"mess OF pottage." While he is to be
dispised for his cowardice and execrated
for his treason to principle and promise,
he is not the most to blame. The idea
that Edgerton could "transfer his fol-
lowing to Moody" could sell and deliver
a lot Of farmers, who had been elected
because they are opposed to corporat-
ions and TRUSTEES to corporation law
yer, with political record that would
make a convict blush. We fondly hop
ed the time had come when the farmers
had ceased to be bought and sold like
mules. We thought they had the back
bone to Quit following a man who delib
erately betrays them for price, instead
OF becoming the medium by which his
treachery enriches him. Wardell stood
by his guns, but when Edgerton traded
the majority Of the farmers off like lot
OF old iron and they ratified the trade
by delivering themselves it left him
alone. It is useless to talk about lack
OF time in which to organize. The only
rallying cry needed by the farmers OF the
northwest is opposition to corporations
and their henchmen. Had the 103
farmers joined hands and supported
any man in the legislature lie was elect
ed, it only took S5 votes to do that.
After Edgerton deserted it was their
duty to treat him with the contempt
due to a cur, and show it by selecting
some capable man on the spot. Now
we hear on every side the chuckling ex-
preston: Oh! l knew the farmers were
a lot OF suckers, they make lots Of blow
about what they are going to do, but
when the time comes good sharp boss
makes them get into line. They darsn't t
leave the old parties" We are thankful
| that our Black Hills farmers are not OF
that stripe. They have demonstrated
their power to throw the bosses over
board, have proceeded to do it and are
glad OF it. Ii all the farmers in the legis-
lature had the grit that our own have
Messrs Moody, Pettigrew and Edgerton
would have been out in the cold sucking
their thumbs, while two honest, able
farmers would have surprised the mil
lionaire association by taking seats in
their midst. The farmers were actually
afraid to thow their strength at Pierre
for fear something dreadful might hap
pen, the can't tell exactly what they
were afraid Of, but they were really
afraid OF themselves. Does anyone sup
pose for moment that there Is another
class of men on earth who, with a
majority Of eighteen in a legislature,
would have allowed the very men they
organized to fight to capture all there was
going? It is no wonder that politicians
laugh at the Farmers Alliance, such pro-
ceedings would make anyone laugh.
But the end is not yet. There are more
contests coming and the farmers will
learn by experience. The Pierre lesson
will do them guod, they will learn to
think for themselves, learn that neither
the democratic nor the republican party
have any claims on them, that they
must put off party shackles and act fo1
themselves. When they do this we shall
hear no more about a mans "transferr.
ing" his strength to some corporation
lawyer in consideration OF a sop to be
thrown later.
Notice Of Election:
Notice is hereby given that an election
will be held on the first Tuesday aftel
the first Monday (the 9th day OF No
vember) A. d. 1888 for the election o
One County Commissioner for the Thirc
District. The polls will be opened a
eight o'clock A. M. and closed at fiv,
O'Clock P. NJ. and the following pollin,
places fixed and Judges appointed:
Lookout, conpany's store, Judges
N. NJ. Fuller, Alex Alex chesolm, Johl
Rockford, House OF E. E. Shepard
! Judges: E. E.. Shepard, A. S.. Amermar
! : Sitting ST Bull, c. R. Browns house
Judges: c. R. Brown, J. J. Mccall, Jane
: Hughes.
Judges; ]. 4: miller, Lee Rich, j. i
, Hooper,
Tgersville, Store OF G. Dawyer, Judges
) James Dawyer, Edward Ryan, W, "
Driver.
!, Tenderfoot at the house Of L. 4
Smith, Judges: L. D. Smith, Je
McDermott, Dell Garfield.
: GEORGE @. HUNT,
County Auditor.
Dated this 10th Day OF October A. I
8 1889.
= Farmers Want. Sale and Exchang
!. N>i,.~a,.A