The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1877-08-29
VOL. IL.
Better Prospects.

FANSSNs
the good time that always comes, though
sometimes delayed. The four years last
past, eventfll and never-to be~torgotten,
have schooled some men for their benefit.
1t has been a lesson for all, but all will
not profit by its salutary teachings. The
war that brought, and left its dcmoraliz,
ing influences, has passed into history, but
the enormous amount of money it occa.
stoned to be put in circulation, and the
spirit Of speculation til rebyt crested tend
ed to so change the old, time e-ruttcd meth
DDS of business and money making, that
extravaganza, rccklessness, and haste to
accumulate wealth had become American
characteristics. Schemes for acquiring
wealth rapidly, were the only ones favor,
ed, and in their trail, of course, corrup,
ton was bred and men and corpora
ton once cited as exemplars of prudence
thrift and foresight became tainted With a
corroding influence that needed on ly time
to test its destructive power. The slow
but sure way that our eastern fathers had
followed to acquire completeness, was nc
longer followed, or considered orth hodox
The new development had so bewildered
men with the occasional illustrations Of
shoddy and successful speculation, that
the entire American people seemed to be
impregnated with dashing, loud and I'M
controllable spirit for satisfying their am
bition. Individuals first, and then COM
panies and organizations fell into the
maelslrom, all whirling at a giddy and
dangerous rate, and grasping after the
golden bawblc Then came the crash of
'73, and the reaction Of the four years
that followed, has been ruinous to some,
a profitable lesson to others, and hard for
all to bear. The farmer who had been
pursuing his labors quietly in this Terri
tory, far from the great center of this
storm, and in one sense unconscious or at
ledSL lulOCcut VI lta Couoc, 1C1I Alo NIAIA
breath, and later, and long, its destructive
power.
immigration ceased, towns stopped
growing, capitalists turned from invest
ing and gave them wide berth. Mcr.
chants were crippled in their collections
end consequently limited in their credits
Railroads ended wherever their last rail-
was laid when the crash came. Lands
and all species of property that are pecu'
liar to an agricultural country, depreclat,
ed in value, and, IN fact, were unstable
at any price. And to add to the calamity
destructive 'hoppers swept the fields and
the land, of the bread element, and letl
the farmer without food, or means to pur
chase it.
The Tidal wave that first uDheaved the
money centers spread, sweeping gilded
corporations out Of sight, shaking others
more solid, totally wrecking the small and
terrifying those who supposed they were
invincible. The capitalist withdrew his
money and turned the key to his strong
box, and deaf ear to all opportunities for
its USES
How we have, on this frontier, go'
along, is know only to each individual!
neither does it matter now, and the retro
spect is anything but pleasant.
The rich soil Of our adopted, but much
abused Territory, has brought an abun
dance of its products, and dispersed the
gaunt spectre of want that was hoyering
over every threshold.
Now that want is supplied and a por
ton OF the embarrassment is removed, the
further and natural desire arises, to still
better our condition, and to revive, in
measure, business relations that would
tend to secure and promote prosperity
individually and generally. This canno
in the nature of things, be done
at once. The bent tree that was bowed by
the tornado, even if its roots remain in
tact, will not rise to its 1ormer highth ant
s,ateliness, upon the first days sun aftc1
the passage Of the storm; its return u
and will be gradual-so slow as to be al
most imperceptable, and not until afte
we Lave ceased watching its progress
will its erect and desired position be &C
quired.
The law of nature is manifest in it:
workings, but not so clearly is the law o
human events, unknown except by th'
Maker of all things, but executed by hi
subjects, and after executed, then the eff
feet enables the observer to in part trace
back to the true cause.
The fact is, we were as Esquire Jones il
the "Hoosier Schoolmaster" said, terri
bly, shuck up;"-more so than we imagin
ed. We had fell farther and deeper thar
we was aware of, and no jump can brin!
US out; only steady climb, and with tha
we must be not only content, but Thankful
that daylight has come to guide our steps
What we are now anxious for, is goot
price for our grain, and enhancement il
the value OF our farms and unimproveo
lands; a revival of immigration; invest
ments of capitalists; railroad facilities
building of towns, and a general reviva
n A., o1I \,
prosperity that is commendable for an,
one to wish; but not this year or at leas
for many month, can we, in any reason
expect all this to occur That prospect
are Frightening is happily evident. Th'
first impression and apparent prospect
was, that the great crop raised through
out the agricultural States, would furnish
such a large surplus that the demand