The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-07-05

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the past forty years, the question "will
this republic continue" ls difficult to
answer.
When this government was formed, at
the end Of a long and bitter struggle with
the mother country, and every citizen
was q property owner and possessed a
Preside around which nightly gathered
his little family, and each one had a
voice, equal with every other citizen, in
the government, which he could express
without fear or favor, a different condi-
ton existed than to that which now
confronts us. Instead of the independ-
ent home, loving citizen which charter
lied our country for many years after
it's organization, thousands OF homeless
tramps. who hate rather than love our
country, with ballots in their hands, as
SO much merchandise, and also millions
OF honest, but dependent laboring men,
who must look to the wealthy men and
great corporations for their living, or
rather positions which give them ~livings.
Does anyone suppose that any OF these
last mentioned voters can cast a ballot
from a pure intelligent INDEPENDENT and
patriotic motive? 1t is the Indication
OF madness to contend that such is the
case: no matter how honest and patrlo-
tic q voter may be if he knows his vote
is watched. and his job depends upon
his action he can't be free. The result IS
that the tendencies OF all such are to
loose interest in government and to
leave 1T all to their employers, and do as
he wishes when it comes to vote. SO we
see that concentrated wealth can con-
troll the purchaseble vote with their
money, and the tailoring vote, by in
huence. Nor does it stop here. we find
these great privileged concentrations OF
wealth, own the press of the country
and hire the best lntellects to write for
them, and thus control the great med
ium OF education which goes into every
home, no matter how humble, and SO
moulds the sentiment and beliefs OF the
remaining independent voters.
While the rules we haye here laid
may not be absolutely correct as to
every individual, but that it is generally
correct none will deny, for it is before us
and all can see it. The effect OF all this
is to put the government absolutely IN
the CONTROL OF a few; the few who own
the wealth, and it IS q serious question
how long these conditions will last, when
we take into account the results which
flow from q rule OF the rich few. AS is
natural, this few is actuated by purely
selfish motives, and when the business
in which they are engaged ceases to
yield them satisfactory profits, they
shut down n thus throw out OF work
the great army Of men who depend upon
them, other businesses follow them until
millions are out OF work and no chance
to employ themselves, discomfort grows
and the army has to be called out to
maintain order. All! here we have it,
monarchy IN effect, as absolute as ever
existed IN the world. Ii the wealthy few
"a control the many who are depend
ing upon them, how much worse is this
than the few controlling under monar-
chy? 1t is not as many enormously be-
lieve, "a government Of and by the PEG
pie" but a government OF and by the
few; monarchy is no worse.
Many will say the people will not long
submit to this condition; but we must
not forget that poverty is the great des-
troyer OF independent manhood, it
brushes out OF man all energy and self
respect and hangs like a pail about all
his hopes; a very poor living is better
than no living at all, for himself and
those who depend upon him, is q very
natural feeling.
We have here been pointing out the
drift OF things in our country at the
present time, and the inevitable result
must be, if it continues, monarchy or a.
government with the powers equivucal
to it. But whether the remaining indie
pendent people will awaken from the
dream OF the past, shake off party pre-
JUDGE and face the present difficulties
with the spirit Of freedom as OF old, re-
mans to be seen. We believe there is
enough of the true spirit left in the pee
pie to regain all that is lost, and that
too, by the ballot, but it must be done
quickly or the lost ground can only be
recovered by physical REVOLUTION. 1t is
an old story to say that we are rapidly
drifting along the lines that old ancient
republics drlfted to their ruin, but it