Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1890-11-28
BEAUMONT'S POWERFUL SPEECH,
Continuation of the Address Delivered By
Ralph Beaumont at Canton, Octo-
Der 78, 1890.
A Detailed Explanation of Some Of the Prin
cipies Of the Knights of Labor
Organization.

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NUMBER ".
Let me read article VII.
''The recognition by Incorporation of
trades unions ORDERS and such other as
sociations as may be organized by the
working masses to improve their condi-
ton and protect their rights"
I will tell you what we mean by that
section. I mean that men do not get rich
by working for it. Now some will say
that thatis an overdrawn statement. But
I have travelled in twenty eight different
states, both Canadas and four territories
in the lecture field on economic questions
for twenty years, and during that time I
have looked into the faces of 100000
people, and man who got rich by work
ing for it would be curiosity to me. He
my live and have his being but have
never laid eyes on him and when do will
cage him, because can get good price
for him as a ''Freak" in museum. Mr..
Chairman, men in our day don't get rich
that way. Men in our day get rich by
special acts of legislation granting pri-
.vileges to rob and plunder their fellow
men by law, and every rich man you
have got in America today is rich through
that process. You ask me to prove that.
That is what am here for.
Now, as to the objects Of this section,
it must be plain to any person in this
room who is a close observer of affairs
that-a are constantly transpiring, that some
few are becoming very wealthy, while a
large number are growing corresponding
ly poor. We find that the system of do
ing business in this country has been rap
idly changing, and that some are grow
ing rich by having special privileges con-
ferred upon them by law, through acts of
incorporation. AS {; matter Of illustra-
ton; Jay Gould is worth S75, GOO, 900.
am not. Jay Gould may own five acres
Of land in the city. may own five acres
adjoining him with only a board fence
between US. Jay with his millions, may
build on his lot a round house, a depot, a
Elocom olive works and a railroad until he
comes to my fence, when say, 'sJay,
you stop. Don't come any further, if
you do will shoot you," and Jay stops.
Why? Because he knows that my title
to my land is as good as his But"
says he, 81 will get the best of YOU" l
say ''all right, go ahead.' Every dog
has his day, and he commences to have
his. How? Why, he at once associates
twelve other men with him, and takes ad-
vantage OF an act, entitled an act for the
formation of companies for engaging in
mechanical, mining and other purposes;
and under the act they form railroad
company. And then select three dsinter-
ested persons they appraise my land, and
land and l have no say in the matter.
1t my be heirloom in my family for
which have no price. How does he OBJ
tain this power to take my property from
me? Why he does it under the power of
eminent domain, which, strictly interpret
ed, means that the rights of the individ-
ual must be sacrificed for the common
veal Of the whole community. Or to be
plain, Jay Gould, in order to take pos
session of my land takes the state into
partnership with him, but when he has
got my land, and watered the stock of
the company four hundred per cent and
extorts high rates of freight on this water
he kicks the state out of partnership. So
you sec, my friends, that Jay Gould I'M
Incorporated. Now let us carry this
illustration still further. These men now
having incorporated themselves, under
the law, they name their company the
Missouri Pacific railroad, and say to
themselves, "We have not time to work
or manage this railroad, let us hire an
agent. Well, who will we hire? Why
in Des Moines, Iowa, is IL man by the
name Of Hoxie: we will hire him." And
they send for Dr.. Hoxie, and say to him,
1--WE would like to hire you to work for
u.s." ''Well, says he, ''what do you
want me to do?' I'VE want you to do
two things. First, we want you to buy the
labor in the cheapest market you can
find. Second, we want you to form as
many com binations with other lines Of
transportation as you can SO as to extort
as high rates of freight as you can out of
the public. and we will give you $4,000
per year for your services And he ac-
ccpts the situation under these terms.
And proceeds to carry cut the first part
of the agreement. viz, to hire the labor
in the cheapest market
How does he go to work to do that :
Going to perform his first days labor. lie
scratches his head and says, ''what have
| agreed to do?' l have agreed to get the
labor in the cheapest market. How am
| to do that? l have SO many men tC
wO~!; for mo rTNbay ar, u-orl-;p.r +,,o,+,.