The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-01-02
1873.

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I. Some writer appropriately says, "'Time
| is lifc's book" And how few there are
that realize their daily lite is forming
pages that are indclible., The year Of
4 |51877 has gone, aud its archive, are
the records of Individual and national
i life. The American can congratulate him
self his nationi is at peace with the world
and that war, horrid at best, has no page o.
| late in its annals The yule has Frightened
Ihsppier hearths than when lit in the year,
when want and pests, forsboding
aaa gloomy prospects clouded all
sfart and labor. Abundance Of
the necessar.es of life has been the
Eprice OF last years toif; the woll
is driven from the door, and tho inlepend.
ant manly feeling that depression had well
nigh crushed, has risen to the relief 81
those whose nature ls weakened without
its invigorating presence. Poverty, and
even pecuniary embarrassment, is more
than leveler in its general effect; it no,
only checks and stops advancement and
development, but it STILES ambition,
chokes and smothers effort for future, or
further action. 1t saps the life blood Of
energy, and belittles the man by, its dis.
heartening and enerSating power. With
out the incubus Of debt, the drawback
Of dependence and their attendant sur
roundings, hard times is robbed Of its Sc.
verify, and its sting can be borne with pa
tience. But when labor yields no return,
no fruit no equivalent, and ouc's all was
staked in The result, and to the oppres-
sion Of obligations to others, hard times
cnt keenly, aud with many fatally. Two
or three p.st years has exemplifed this
and particularly SO this portion of Dakota
Territory. Its resources, wholly agricultur-
al, its progress, and the welfare Of its cit;-
zens depended entirely upon the crop pro.
duced. The majority of our people were
new comerS who had exhausted their
means upon their improvements, and a
succession of failures, and a conseque mt
accumulation Of debt placed them in an;
embarrassing condition, some 50 much so
that they left dishcartened, those who re-
remained were rewarded, for the last har-
vest moon gllnted well filled granarics,
and fields of corn. This let up, this happy
rest and breathing spell has proved an
antidote for all the poison disseminated
by those migratory pests, and all feel that
the c.isis Of this locality ispast, though.
not to lie forever relieved from the vista
,ions of the hopper. Their appearances is
only thought and believed to be occasion
al, and when they do return the people
will be better. prepared anil able to stand
their inroads. The productive qualities.
Of this land have been fully and thorough
iy tested and established. Work, contln-
uous and with patience, and avoidance of
debt Will soon place this farming commu-
nifty in q prosperous and wealthy condi
ton, provided we obtain within reasona-
bic time those facilities that the advanced
spirit Of the age demands, as the culmina-
tion Of cheap and rapid transportation Of
productions and supplies. o., .a.
The retrospect of the past few years
should be of use and prove u benefit, for
il has reminded us that communities as
well as individuals, cannot always bask
in the sunshine of prosperity. 1t Is net in
the nature of things, skies arc not always
clear, nor is the air pure and genial. We
should learn by the experience Of those
who, when prospects were fair, yielded to
the temptations Of purchasing, because
they coul on credit. The individual in
debtedness of farmers of this county alone
exceeds one hundred thousand dollars for
the purchase of farming implements; true,
many were actually needed, but the real
purchase was far beyond the actual needs,
The harvest just passed was . great and
almost indispensable relief and one that
caus Cd universal feeling Of devout thankfulness;
with Its aSails many debts paid, and home COM
forts obtained, hearts are cheered hopss revived
and new energy tet for ths work Of the Jsar Just
dawned. Tho record Of 1878 Is not yet made, nor
IL its future visable to man, but in one sense We
can make il what we chose. II not Of pscuniary
profit and emolument, of benefit. BY avsilng our
selves while It is passing ths persons and unmistak
able lessons the past has taught ls.
Should We indulge in prophecy for comforts sake,
the vision really IL pleasant for signs are good and
indications point to probable season Of general
prosperity. Enterprises that have slumbered since
the panic wave Of 1873 swept them, are bsins
revived and with Ill reasonable prospect Of succeed
ing Capitalists are scenting out places for invest
ing their money Migration 10 only waiting for spring,
whom its emissaries announce their intention OF
seeking these lands that have proved so rich in
their bearings. Indications are all in our favor OF
another years shsense Of the hopper, and tho
omen is good for the year 1878.
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