The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-09-07
provement by a change in party af-

1
islation wherever practicable for the
same reason that he favors the election
of senators by popular vote. Direct
legislation brings the government
nearer to the voter. There is more
virtue in the people than ever finds ex.
preston through their representatives
To hold that a representative can act
for the people better than they can
act for themselves, is to assert that he
is as much interested in the people as
they are in themselves, and that his
wisdom is greater than the combined
wisdom o. majority of the people.
Neither proposition is sound. Most, II
not all, of the evils complained of in
government are traceable to the fact
that the representative of the people
has personal interests at variance with
the interests of his constituency. Cor
ruption in municipal, state and federal
governments is due to the misrepre-
sentation of the people by public SER
wants, who use their positions for pri-
| vate advantage The people should
have an opportunity to vote on public
questions when those questions can be
submitted without too great inconven-
fence or expense.
But the laboring man is ever more
interested in the proposition to estab-
lish labor bureau with cabinet
officer at its head. Such a bureau
would keep the executive in constant
touch with the wage-earners OF the
country, and open the way to the red
ress of their present and future griev-
ances. If labor is given place in the
presidents official household, the man
selected will necessarily be worthy
and trusted representative of the peo-
pie for whom he speaks, and his pres
ence at cabinet meetings will give to
those who toll for their daily bread as
surance that their interests will be
properly guarded.
Mr.. Gompers, the chief executive of
the federation Of labor, has, in his cor
respondence with the secretary of the
treasury SO ably presented the labor
ing mems reasons for opposing a gold
standard and a national bank currency
that 1t is not necessary to discuss those
questions at this time.
The laboring man has abundant rea-
son to fear the trusts. Mr.. Charles R.
Flint, in speech delivered in Boston
more than year ago in defense of the
trusts, frankly asserts that one of the
advantages of these combinations is
that 'in case of local strikes or fires
the work goes on elsewhere, thus pre-
venting serious loss.' Is it possible
that any wage-earner can fail to see
how completely the trust places en-
ploye at the mercy of the employer?
The resolutions adopted by various
labor organizations in condemnation
of militarism and imperialism justify
me in making brief reference to those
questions No class contributes more
than the labor class in proportion to
it's members to the rank and file of
the army; no class contributes more in
proportion to its numbers to the ex-
pense of the army, and no class is
more menaced by the existence of a
large army. Most of the countries in
Europe which maintain large military
establishments collect an income tax
which adjusts the burden of the gov
eminent to the income of the citizen.
Here our federal taxes are largely col
lected upon consumption, and while
they are income taxes in the sense that
they must be paid out of. the incomes
Of the people, yet the exactions are not
proportionate to the incomes. The
taxes upon consumption bear heaviest
upon the poor and highest upon the
rich and are, in fact, graded income
taxes, the per cent collected decreasing
as the income increases.
If this nation adheres to the doctrine
that governments derive their Just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned, and the people have an easy
and ready means Of correcting all
abuses, the government will not need
to be supported by a large permanent
army for every citizen will be ready
to defend such a government from at
tack. The only domestic use for a
large standing army is to suppress by
force that discomfort which should be
cured by legislation.
To support a permanent army Of
100000 men requires approximately
one-half as much money as Is annually
expended for education in the United
States. Ho wmuch cheaper 1t is to
uplift people by the gentle and peace
full process of intellectual development
than to blow them up with powder
and dynamite!
Imperialism involves a departure
from principles which were universal
ly accepted in this country until with
In two years. To know that all men
are created equal one needs not the
wisdom of a sage or the learning Of
the schools. 1t was declared to be q
self evident truth; it was evident to
those who pledged their lives to the
maintenance Of the Declaration Of In
dependence, and 1t Is evident still to
those who are not blinded by the CLAM
our Of wealth and the glittering prom
ises of a colonial system. II all men
are created equal and endowed with