The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-07-27
As Mr.. Mccain Views Bilrs Outbreak,

As Mr.. Mccain Views Bill's Outbreak.
EDIJoR UNIoN:-My attention has
been called to an article in the Rapid
City Journal purporting to be an ex-
cerpt from contribution by ex-Judge
Gardner to the Minneapolis Journal on
the Genius and Genises of Populism, :"
with the comment that the article was
well worth reading both from polit-
ical and literary point of view.'
Now, Mr.. Editor, want to protest
against that article, not on account of
any political influence an article from
the pen of the ex-judge could exert, es-
pecially here where he is known, but
on account of its uu-American ideas.
The ex-judge's vociferous attack, al
though ostensibly directed against
populism, is direct thrust at the fun
damental principles OF this republic,
and Notwithstanding that he has endea-
vored to conceal the real intent by in
dulg!ng in ephemeral rhetorical gyra-
tions, any true lover of American ideas
or anyone instilled with the principles
of humanity and justice as set forth in
our Declaration of Independence, can
easily detect the traitorous attack up
on the spirit OF our free institutions
He says, "the trite and foolish old saw
declaring the natural equality of men
is lodged deep in the heart oe the pop
ulist and cherished as literal truth"
then he adds, "the other bit of worn.
out bombast pronouncing us all 'sover-
ign is as sweet and solemn truth to
the populist mind as the sermon on the
mount" Then after describing the
condition of the pioneer on the arid
plain and the proepector in the noun
tains he attempts to belittlc them by
foul insinuations, picturing them as re-
fecting bitterly on the fact that they
are the peer of Vanderbilt or a
Rothschild and dreaming not of more
rain or higher wages. but of imperial
crowns and Fifth avenue mansions.
Nothing could be further from the
truth. Men do not covet imperial
crowns who hold as literal truth what
the ex-judge terms 1.-THE silly old saw
viz: the equality of all men. Such in
constituencies won't take we'll with an
intelligent class of readers.
But let us look at this question from
more serious standpoint. 1t is la
inevitable fact that the republican par
ty Of today, in order to defend its adj
ministration, is compelled to turn it's
back upon and repudiate the very
principles, this advocacy OF which gave
that party its birth, and anyone famil-
lar with the eventful days from 1855 to
1850 will remember that the contention
between Lincoln and Douglas hinged
on this immortal truth, which the ex-
judge through ignorance or malice, at
tacks over the shoulders of populists as
something "inimical to good govern
ment--one of the dangerous tenets in
the creed Of this tpopulist) party the
latest, freshest and most generic form
OF American radicalism.,
Lincoln's words at Springfield. ILL.,,
on June IS, 1851, are prophetic and ap.
ply today as forcibly as in slavery days.
Referring to the equality OF men he
said:
"PLL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
: In those days Q776) our Declare
tion OF Independence was held sacred
by all and thought to include all, but
now, in order to aid ia making the
bondage of the negro universal and
eternal, it Is assailed and sneered at
and construed and hawked ut till,
| il its trainers could rise from their
graves, they could not at all recognize
ID. All the powers of earth seem rap
idly combining against him 1.-THE ne
gro). Mammon is after him, ambition
follows, philosophy follows, and the
theology Of the day is fast joining the
cry
Now, II you will substitute Cuba,
Porto Rico and the Philippines for the
word negro you will bring the words
Of the emancipator up to date and you
will not be surprised ct the hysterical
efforts OF the advocates Of present day
republicanism To trump up some sub
|terflga behind which they can hide
themselv R6d avert the humiliation
and defeat that would certainly await