The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-08-14
THE PRESERVATION OF OUR BONES
An Address Delivered by Mrs. j. w.
Allen Before the Ninth Annual Session
ofthc District Organization OF the
Farmers iliance and Knights
of Labor. at Canyon Lake,

Allen Before the Ninth Annual Session
ofthc District Organization of the
Ei.rnlers, a llianca and knights
of Labor. ut Canyon Lake,
Rapid City, July Ia, 1851.
The glory Of the country is in its
homes, which contain the true elements
OF national vitality, and are the en-
bodied type OF heaven. That would
sound much better ii every man owned
his own home, free from taxation and
execution, it then would he a. nation of
patriots, q nation Of temperance men, a
nation Of workers, full OF strength, power,
and glory; the richest countries Of the
world are not those where nature is
efficient. Labor has built all the palaces
that adorn the world, and yet has al
ways dwelt in a hovel. The farmers
haye created untold wealth, but class
legislation has been obtained by a fav-
ored few that has given them the power
to legally rob the farmers and reduce
the masses OF them to their present I'M
satisfactory condition. My brothers,
you may rest assured that there will be
no relief from the deplorable condition
OF the large class, that you are here to
represent, until they consider that the
preservation of their homes, and the
comfort OF their families, are gilmore i'm
portacce to them than partisan politics.
/ ITpit,y nf ,c+ir, r, 4l,o ~, ~ IS Az, fru
ers means their self preservation. 1t is
the duty Of every farmer to make a
common cause against every form OF OPP
preston that has made them the bur-
den bearers OF this nation, they must
throw OFF the shackles OF party bondage,
and stand together and vote solidly and
unitedly for true and tried lnen from
their own ranks, who are in full sylnpa-
thy with the farmers in their battle for
then rights. The success OF the Farm
ers' Alliance means the emancipation OF
the farmers and laborcrs' wlyes, daugh-
tiers and mothers. from the issolated
slavery that now envirops them them.
No intelligent people have eyer been en-
shaved; no ignorant people have ever
been found in any other condition than
slavery. The great trouble with the
farmers is that they cultivate their
muscles too much and their brains too
little.
john Swinton once asked Carl Mark
the question: "What is liie?" only to
receive the reply, "Struggle, struggle,
struggle" THIS answer seems to ex-
press the whole matter in Il few words,
il is Il bitter struggle from the time one
enters this life until the final end. Some
must strive more tiercelY than others,
especially is this SO among the bread
winners Of the world. 1t is on their
backs that the burden of society rests
with most weight. This has been SO in
every age and in times gone by when
they were wont to complain to Their
masters, they were informed that it was
not for them to expect anything IN this
world, that their reward a to come in
the next world. In times gone by the
t!bUrer accepted this as the solution OF
tic labor problem, but OF late years a
. change has come over the dreams OF the
toileys in all climcs. They are now say
ing to their Uppressors, that they are
not dealing in futures, that ii they are
, TO be rewarded they prefer that ii
should be in this world, and that part
OF the punishment they receive here
: may lie deferred to the next; that it il
l?sh time TO change the system.
There are other methods OF dealin,
out consolation to the poor by thei1
Z opprcssora WHO quite frequently remarl
y that there never wa8 u time when tn
WORKING people were as well off as the,
:, are today, and when they say this the,
= believe il as IN undisputable TACT
/. When answered by tie students OF eco
Il nomics that lie does not dispute tn,
! TACT, HOE does he desire 10 as it is no
the question under dispute; that tn,
great and a~ll-absorbing question OF tn,
hour il, Are the working people as vel
h Of as they ought to be under the civil
L zltion which they liYe?n he is dismayed
5 In all probability be has never for on,
: moment thought OF the subject iron
that standpoint. perhaps it has ncve
entered his head that the laborcr ha;
L amy right 10 consider that question.
Some VIII say that the cause OF a!
tc this hubhub is lazincss and extrava
gance. That the disasters, failures AM
y hard times, which have overtaken II
have theiT causes III our careless way @
1t doing business, ignorance and shiitless
E ness. The western farmer is poor an,
d in many Instances he may be careless il
1, business dealings and be imposed upOl
by INSCRIPTIONS men, but his povcrt
+. isnotcauscd by llisunwil;in=nes to work
d One glance 1T tie weather beaten fac
oi the average farmer Will unfold to
a close observer story OF long days c
~ labor, OF unremitting toll, to build
l. home in the wilderness, and to keep til
is storms Of lie have lett deep traces O
u that face, the marks OF Il struggle for tn
4. necessaries OF Life are there, but thel
arc 70 signs o! dissipation, no lines {
=, d~eprav.ty. He may be untitled to COZ
II with the sharks who infest the countr
lc and live upon the fruits OF his labor, bu
al he Is not lazy, for a lazy man woul
starve. He is not %deprayed, for tt
history OF his country shows that h
= hand has helped to raise the first scho'
"a houses and his course a ever been t
or bring up his sons and daughters to |
ne honest, law-abiding men and women.
at The logic of events Is dong a bett,
al work today than all the arguments thu
u can be brought to bear. Men do NJ
have to be told that times are har
n, they know it. Men who have any sen
know that times have grown worse i
IS stead of better. This TACT is forcing
self on the minds OF men whether thu