The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-06-06

y Af. f
portland may be the legitimate fruits
whole attention. Instead Of laying the
ak at the root they lop off some OF the
branches, making provisions for a fresh
crop to engage the attention of the grand
juries in the dim future. This usurous,
lnlqultlOus, cent per cent system, SO
feaIfully prevalent and extensively prac-.
tised, in violation OF law, is no doubt
productive OF many of the lesser offences
that affiict society. Instances have
fallen under the writer's observation
where the earnings OF both the employer
and employee have been entirely alb
sorbed by this system. Nor are such
cases exceptional ones. To borrow
money at two or even one per cent a
month and succeed, in legitimate busi-
ness, is the exception; the rule being as
barren of results in that direction as
whistling against thunder. 1t is pitting
body and soul, bone and muscle against
a piece OF lnanirnate paper or metal.
We are told on what may be regarded
as good authority that there was a time
when the house OF prayer was converted
into den OF thieves; they sold oxen and
master turned them out, overturned
the tables OF the money changers and
administered witheling rebuke for
sdesecrating the temple. Now, was this
ssIand ,actual occurence2 Was this a bank
ing WS titution ests blished lis q converl..
fence, as an auxiliary to the government,
as an aid to business, converted into
what, in modern parlance, is termed a
shaving shop, robbing the people in
stead? The omission on the part uf the
jury to take decided action against the
ustry takers, the evidence against whom
is abundant and unimpeachable, would
seem to agree that some other remedy is
needed. What is law to one should be
law to another. The farmers are the
principle victims OF this usurious system:
for it's well known fact that the shop
keeper and the manufacturer can, and
does get better terms and more liberal
rates when borrowing money than the
farmer. The complaints in the past OF
the farmers against the usury takers
have been loud and long for 10 these
| many years, and Justly too, but they
| when it is brought to their doors. The
writer has talked with several OF the
| late grand jurvmen and was told by
| them that the charge given to the Jury
was a political bid, on the part sof the
court, or words to thateffect. 1t isneed-
less to state that those OF the jury TAX
ing that view are OF the republican pro-
cession. Someone has very aptly de-
fined ''prejudice' as the 'sspider Of the
mind" A prejudiced mind is incapable
OF Judging between right and wrong.
Like the spider that will not admit the
presence OF u fellow worker while con-
structing or operating his web, so Il pref
udiced mind regards all but the one
! thought as an intruder. Two years
| ago the farmers deposited their ballots
i'll support OF this system OF which they
now complain, The question was fairly
| made the issue, and what but deep sea ted
and deep rooted prejudice could have
governed their action? But the duty,
tariff, or to use plain language, tax on
binding twine threatens to brush some
OF the cobwebs from the farmers minds.
The writer once met an isolated miner
who complained that he was out OF
the deer that frequently played near his
cabin door. He said he had no cart
| ridges, that he had sent for some two
weeks ago; therefore his rifle hung use
less on the hooks. Now the farmer has
the machine to harvest the grain, but it
| is useless without the twine, which is to
the machine what the cartridge is to the
MINERS gun. Bat why such cry against
the twine. imposition? It's but a droE
fin the 1ifiil pond There is the tax OF
railroad iron and on everything which
enters into the obstruction of the road
all OF which the farmer is called upon tc
pay. The only difference being he pays
the tax on binding twine before harvest
while the tax on whatever enters int
the construction OF railroads is paiC
after harvest and threshng. In that re
spect he is like the Irishnan, who wrote
home to the old country that he was
getting one dollar per day and three
drinks and devil Il cent did his employer
/ ask him for the drinks only at night il
is taken out OF his wages. So the farmer
is taxed for what enters into the con.
struction OF railroads, it is just taken
out OF his wheat. To satisfy and quiet
the farmer and divert his attention from
the main cause, long-winded articles are
being industrously published through
out the l;,nt! giving statistics and tables
to prove that the cause OF the farmers
complaint is "over production" Sup.
pose we tell these gentlemen who have
Eeseged the ways and means committee
at Washington begging piteously to be
protected III their particular infant in
dustry to apply the same to themselves
but doctors, however, seldom take theii
own medicine prescribed ''over pro.
duction" for the farmer, protection
in theirs. This will appear more evi
dent when it is stated Us a fact that the
farmer can get nearly three pounds Of
oatmeal by producing and hauling tC
market th!rty-two pounds OF oats.