The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-12-18

considered safe, as our government
and che CORPORATIONS have, beengygry
,eafefNl that I'D knowledge Ut this
matter should reach the public. Let
us suppose that one half Of the money
l!oYneaiR Europe at pei; cent inter:
est, the anhual Interest Would ba
0O0, O0O. Remember you repre-
sent England and your neighbor the
United States, still paying the inter
est with other notes and bonds, and
you will understand what we may ex-
pect in the future.
Suppose again that thirty years ago
our government had issued treasury
notes and loaned the money to the
tofpSrations to Build railroads, aid
takeh. first mBrtgage bonds and fig
Idly Compelled annual payI1ent Of
Interest at ) per cent and prohibited
any; over issue of stock or the borrow
ing of foreign money, I'LL railroads
would nov be owned by the govern
ment ahd the people of the country,
the debts of the corporations not
more than half what they nov are,
the interest. going to Support the
government Instead of being exported
to other countries, and more than one
thousand millions of our money,
which had been exported, remained
in this country where 1t has been and
is now so badly needed. A little or
binary intelligence and. common hons
esty ,Was required at that time, but
Was lacking: The leadiiig politicians
Instead Of trying honestly to carry out
the protective policy as at first in
tended, joined the crowd of shysters
and spectators located in New
York add London and have used
nearly every mean in their power to
rob instead of benefit the masses,
while the latter held UP their hands.
Their legislation on. the Pacific rail-
roads and finance ought to shame the
devil, and we ought to be ashamed of
keeping such a gang in office SO long.
The different laws which they passed
l can not take time or space here to
enumerate or describe. You no doubt
Are acquainted with many Of them.
Now | will propose that the hide
pendent party adopt the following as
q definite tariff policy for the future:
First, congress shall take such ac-
tion as will compel every corporation
to report annually the amount of its
stock and bonds owned by foreigners.
and rates of interest dividends.
Second, to collect statistics of for
eigntravcl of our citizens showing the
amount Of money exported in that
way, also the amount Of money
brought here by immigrants; and any
other statistics which may be neccs-
sary to ascertain approximately the
actual balance of trade between this
and other countries in all lines Of
business.
Third. Thus having obtained the
necessary intelligence on which TO
base an honest tariff system the
tariff shall be adjusted as to give a
small balance of trade In our favor.
Germany and France prohibited the
importation of American pork into
those countries for precisely that rea-
son. to maintain the balance in their
favor, although the excuse was that
our pork was unhealthy. They have
a sharp contest to keep even, but
England is so far ahead of all the
rest Of the world with foreign in
vestments and such vast sums of in
terest and dividends paid to her peo-
pie annually that she can import mer-
chandise in excess of her exports, from
four to eight hundred millions Of
dollars worth annually. and yet on
the whole have aShcavy balance Of
trade in his favor. Now it is abso-
lutcly true that any nation situated
as Ireland or Egypt is under complete
control, commercially, of other ma
tions, can never give prosperity and
protection to its own people, no mat
ter how we'll and justly its internal
affairs are managed in other respects,
because its money is constantly taken
by its foreign creditors. 1t is in
precisely the same condition as SO
many western farmers, gathering
every dollar possible and sending
leaving a chronic condition Of pov.
erty at home.
But some n says issue more
money. Yes there should be more.
But what good would it be to pumI
water into a trough to fill it, with q
hole in the bottom as large as the
stream you pump in? Ordinary intel.
ligence would say stop the leak first.
And it is just ordinary intelligence,
such as the farmer and merchant al
the time use in their personal affairs,
which we need in national affairs.
Use it and be independent of the DO.
liticians.
So far l have been speaking of the
affairs and interests OF the nation as
a unit; but there is another side that
is so broad I shall only mention it in
this letter. First, then, a country
like England with great wealth and a
large balance of trade in its favor,
may by unjust class legislation (othc1
than the tarif) keep the masses of its
people in abject poverty. All politi.
cal power both in England and the
United States is held at present by
the wealthy class. That fact &C.
counts for class legislation and indi.
Gates the result. If our present poll.
tical system remains, it needs a
thorough o%ycrhauling and reftting to
make it meet modern requirements.
The trust for instance, which is an
Outgrowth, a development Of modern
business conditions. must be nation
allied. 1t is a mistaken idea to. sup.
pose the trust is caused by either
form OF tariff or either political party.
First all business was done by in.
dividuals, then by corporations, then
by a combination of corporations
called trusts. Competition becomes
too sharp hence the trusts. Men who
work for these arc oppressed and will
be made slaves, there is an irrepres.
sible conflict between the trusts, the
monOpolies and the masses of the
people. The people must W them
or they will own the people. You
will notice then there are two dis.
tinct issues to be met, one in regard
to foreign dealings, the other on,
home regulations. Both must be
rightly adjusted to insure prosperity
to the masses. INDEPENDENT.
Sioux City, Iowa. Dec. 5, 1890.
Money Lendors Complaining.
The following is a dispatch from
Topeka, under date of November %
which is undoubtedly for the purpose
of trying to scare some Of. the Peoples
Representatives:
''Thc bitter hostility that has beer