The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-12-25
which constitute the second blessing i

ETF-
OF these two statements. Everybody
knows that only a small portion Of the
coal IS mined, only q small part OF the
iron ore OF the earth is used, much OF
the surface Of the earth which might he
lmade to produce abundantly, il sub
iected to irrigation, is permitted to re-
main a desert. Now there are plenty Of
ready and willing hands which could he
engaged on short notice to dig trenches,
wells and canals, to construct reservoirs
and fumes, to irrigate these lands
There are plenty OF ready and willing
hands to till such lands when they are
reclaimed. Take our own state OF South
Dakota for instance. Nobody doubts
that there are vast tracts OF land in this
state which if irrigated would produce
great crops. Ii the means to irrigate
could be obtained South Dakota would
become one of the richest agricultural
states in the Union. So too, none doubt
that there are enough idle, but willing
hands, even in South Dakota to convert
the arid waste into Il garden spot. Now
the only two requisites to make a gar
den spot OF South Dakota exist in great
abundance, towit, land and capable and
willing hands. Why is not the garden
spot made then? Again in the most
thickly settled communities OF Europe
and the United States there are great
tracts OF fertile land held out Of use by
| ,i.l ,,,,,,1a yr1,> ~ w,, fhnr, H1,o,.oplc
OF earnest eyes look upon them covet-
ously and as many willing hands are
ready to cultivate them. But there is q
prohibition against yearning eyes and
willing hands which says, "1his land is
full Of blessings for him who ploughs it,
but the owner will neither plough nor
permit another to do So" How can
this land be made to yield it's ineXhaus-
tible bounties? How can the world OBJ
tain an opportunity to be thankful to
God on Christmas day for the blessings
it would Offer? There is the labor prob
lem. So too the coal fields ii Pcnnsyl-
vania and other sections offer illustrA-
tions. The owners OF the mines shut
down work when the price OF coal does
not suit them and as a result the poor
shiver with cold and the laborers are
idle. SO too, when the apple orchards
are loaded with IL most abundant har-
vest: millions OF people go without fruit.
and it is permitted to rot and waste I'M
|. gathered. All this time thousands O.
capable hands which might be employed
to gather and distribute tho fruit are
idle.
Now the whole problem OF labor is il
fact, and ought to be this, "IIow car
the fruitful earth. and the powers OF the
human race, be brought together Will
the best results"
Human ingenuity is continually lie
yising useful machinery which makes i
possible to produce M short time more
wealth than IL number OF men would
, thing is invented, behold Il strange re
suit. Instead Of being an addition tc
earth's productive force, this machine
SIMPLY deprivcs men OF their occupaticr
and Of the means OF life. Now a very
difficult phase OF. the problem Of labor
is, how can the saving Of labor which is
effected by such Il machine, be placed tc
the credit Of all men alike. : = !; How
: to arrange the social system so that The
oilers and p%llarasites can he disposed o
6 to their own and the worlds advantage
IS one OF the most p~uzzling phases OF the
. problem OF labor.
> : : | will assume that I'LL mcl
fully agree that the social system is yer,
, detective, and that most OF the CRIME
sin, SORROW and misfortune OF humanit,
, are traceable to that source. | will as
sumo too, that nearly all men desire tl'
system reformed and II they could be
: lieYe that Il given remedy were the RICH
one: would advocate the application O
, that lemcdy. If you could enter tn
: sanctum OF JAY Gould and convinc,
, him that you were able, in II few years
that imaginary society pictured b.,
8 Edward Bellamy, l believe he woult
give up all his wealth and work will
- you. Take from the banker the glun
:. spectre OF starvation and his hold upol
. his boards loosen. Take that gaun
= spectre from behind the lawyer and h
ceases to bubble. Take 1T from behint
:. the laborer and he ceases to give hi
life blood to TIE corporation Which h
serves. Convince these people that you
have the true remedy, that you can ex
orcise the spectre which huunts them AM
=. they will leave all and follow you. Unit
! you do that, all will seek to destroy tn
y JAY Goulds and Nanderbilts OF society
not for the sake Of Kidding society q
such men, but that they may take til
vacant places. all mel should, not
withstanding the d]iscouraging prospec
= Tor success be reformers, and to the ex
!" tent that they have time encourage to b
. such, / believe all men are. Hardly
man lives but sees some social deiec
Tor WEIGH he has some kind OF remedy
j., He must be Il coward, indeed, who in hi
frantic endeavor to escape starvation
!, Iinds no time to think about society
; lie, too, must be q coward who, shelter
9 ed in his financial Gibralta. employee
his time in strengthening that impene
= trable fortress. \ x What Is gov
eminent ANYHOW? Now this is a yer,
important matter to understand il on
desires to solve the labor problem, lie
/, us not be satisfied with an answer hic,
. involves simply a definition, let us cor
slider what it Is IN fact.
i Government in primitive society col
sists OF the rule OF the physically strong
Brute force comprises the entire const
It tuition. 1t puts itself at the head in tn
time OF battle and takes to itself tn
bulk and the best OF the spolls in time {
,e peace. The ruler is Il despot and sui
Affects his band to dominion by his super