The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-12-25
Tabor SPEAKS.

TABOR SPEAKS.
A Criticism Of Rev. H. P. wilber's
Thanksgiving Sermon BY a
Laboring Man.
CHE WHO LABORs SHALL EAT
The Reverend III. r. WILDER gave III Ills
Thanksgiving sermon aperfectidea OF the
theories OF Memo SimonY, la Sale and
Karl Max in regard to state socialism,,
but we profess to say that the teachings
OF the modern socialist, or the industrial
democrat or the co~llectivist, are just
as different as a mouse is from a lion.
At present here in America there is only
one noted labor agitator who proclaims
the doctrine of state socialism and that
is Tom Morgan OF Chicago, The rever-
end gentleman should have confined his
discourse to the philosophy OF Plato
and Jesus Christus, who taught that
men should love each other. Jesus says.
81 was hungry and you gave me to eat,
was thirsty and yougavem me to drink.
Here We learn the duty Of the govern
ment and the citizen toward the citizen,
IN that we, believing in the power OF leg
i~slation to make laws to protect the cit
izen in his work or enterprise, but not
for the government to own and control
the property OF the individual; only to
own and control such properties as are
a common convenience to the people,
for instance railroad and telegraph iacll-
tiles.
Let us 10Y stop for a moment with
the idea Of state socialism. We are lib
eral in our consideration, believinginthe
days when France a governed by
Henry OF Navarro or Hug Carbet in the
long years OF the sword OF inquisition or
Bartholomew Neigt when the country
was in a fearful condition. The peas
ants then were the serfs OF the nobility.
That the reformation Of the great re-
former wouldhave done wonders and
might perhaps have put a stop to the
great and bloody revolution OF 1892, we
do not deny. but III lands such as ours,
in modern times, where the people are
educated and making strong progress
r. ,-, ,u1c .;,,1;,, 49,, ,,1 o,1;rl4,,,,o,f
where We are living under a constitution
that says every body is free and equal,
to make such III assertion for the desire
, Of state socialism would be ridiculous.
Allow us now, for q mom:nt, to rep
resent state socialism before you. Sup
!, pose the state at present should adopt
: such q condition OF affairs as state so
cialism. The state would then be en-
tilely under an official control Of intelli-
i, gent people, and, with selfislncss, would
gain control OF everything. The COM
|. mon people of less ability andcducation
, would naturally become the scris OF the
official power under such q regime and
would only have a daily living in'returm
=, for their labor. We might just as well
tie Il chain around our neck and ask
somebody to lead us about as to pro-
=, claim in favor OF state socialism. An
archv would be preferable. We do not
mean the bloody commumistic anarchy,
but the philosophical anarchy, which
teaches, that all men should unite in
one happy family to live in peace and
harmony. Such Il state Of affairs would
+ be Il fine thing, but it is IL mere utopian
, dream that would never come to an
end.
What do you want now you will ask
us and we will politely answer that our
, desire is a Just one, believing, as we do,
+ that the wealth Of the country should
be SO distributed that every Il should
, receive the reward OF his labor. That
, is to say, that if Il man is working for
! another and he does an honest days
work he shall receive an honest days
: pay for the labor he performs. We be-
, lieve i'll cooperation through the wolk
, Of the individual. This is II mode
: through which man would become indie.
I pendcndent and not always be Il hire.
/ ling. Herein is the simple doctrine o.
the knights OF Labor.
i We are sorry to say that the reverend
gentleman: like many Others, is not
!; posted on the present labor problem.
: not that he has maliciously injured oul
] cause through a misconception OF oul
v aims, but had he been familiar with the
writings Of Powderly, Settling, Beau
f mont and Labardee, or with those o.
the great alliance reformers, Polk, Pow
err, Adam Smith or the noted Jerry
, Simpson, instead OF having adopted
, the capitalistlc press as his fountain O.
Information, he would have posed as 8
: favor Of the labor movement, where he
has now only created apreiudice against
f. it. Not but that his was Il mastery
@ rhetorical effort, for it WAS, and as III
@ exposition Of state socialism it was full
h OF merit, but what has state socialism
o to do with our movement?
+ What means have you now for bet
v tering your conition? will be asked
i In reply we have in our national plat
form the s~ub-treasury bill, which many
say Is unconstitutional and savors o
q class legislation. Let us see for IL mo
ment. 1t is a bill that has a oun
foundation, a foundation that lays be
fore the feet uf christendom, that is, "dc
unto them as you would the people tt
s do unto YOU. On this ground the bll
would be entirely constitutional. Lee
i us consider the question OF class legis
lation. You say it would only Civ
n profit to one class OF people, but we vii
convince you that the bill shows perfcc
II equality to all. Its provisions abolish
national banks, that the people cal
,,< zee. F,c til ,xvny tN amt . n Ian