Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-06-14
Our Dakota Letter.

of the Democrat, shut down on "Da-
kota correspondents" we ask the in
sertion of this article i'll your paper,
partly as a reply to the editorial in
the Iowa County Democrat of May
25tb, and partly as defense of the
many correspondents Cnfatuated)
from this much talked of country.
The editorial referred to was nicely
head-lined Dakota As It Is We'll,
i said TO myself, George or Robert
has been there and seen for himself,
but, 10! it was not the rehearsal of
experience and observation, but
"hearsays" and unwauanted asser-
tons. "The Dakota fever is slowly
dying out" Awful slowly. Now,
certainly the editors of the Demo
crdt are not infatuated but where
did they gain information of this
dying fever? They did not get it
from observation, from reliable cor
respondents, nor from truthful ones
who have grown homesick and re-
turned from this awful country.
Emigration is falling off it is true,
but it is because the season for emf
grafton is over and not because the
Dakota fever is dying out The
thousands of letters coming here
every week making inquiries about
the country show that the fever
still RACES, and the frosts and SHOWS
of the last two weeks in the east
and south have greatly increased its
fury. Experienced farmers etc, "
who are they? We have all around
us experienced farmers. Men who
have grown gray on the farm. Men
who. have farned in Illinois and
Iowa and who made farming in
these states grand success. These
men tell us that he soil here is the
best they have ever cultivated. But
no doubt they are 'infatuated. y
"IIusking peg from harvester" may
be very euphonious phrase to the
editors of the Democrat, but it is
wild statement and shows bad iudg
ment. When they make the state
ment that correspondent said the
coolest day for last winter was but
twenty degrees below zero, | am sat
isfied they are much possessed Of
the aDti-Dakota infatuation, conse-
quently cannot read correctly.
Where the young man lived who
was so prosecuted for writing truth
fully about billiards etc, | don't
know, but one thing | do know, a.
mali can say what he thinks here
with no more danger of persecution
than if he were in Mineral Point.
No doubt the intentions of the edi
tors of the Democrat were good so
far as selfishness can prompt good
thing, but a kind caution could be
given their patrons without making
statements in ignorance or unllind
thrusts at their correspondents.
We are sorry that spirit of envy
against this territory, because of its
wonderful prosperity, possesses the
minds of so many eastern editors.
Suppose southeastern Dakota is all
that the most "infatuated" believe,
will this rob southwest Wisconsin
of its many advantages? Those
from Mineral Point who have written
favorably of this territory could, if
circumstances suggested the pro-
priety of it, without feeling intatu-
ated, write and talk "glibly" of the
beauties and possibilities Wiscon-
sin. The reputation of Wisconsin
as state does not depend upon the
ruin cf Dakota One would think
that a secret longing possessed the
breasts Of many editors farther east
for the grasshoppers to rayage the
territory, or for some other misfor-
tune to oyertake it to rob it of its
now good name Rnt would g grass
hopper invasion or drouth increase
the glory Of Wisconsin or Iowa?
We love Wisconsin and could we
have had land for entering there we
should not have come here, but in
fatuated or not we have a good opin-
ion of this country Our ideas may
be crude pitch-forks but we have
definite knowledge between fifteen
and thirty bushels of wheat to the
acre, or forty and eighty bushels of
oats to the acre. Keep your well.
TODD farmers where they are. Tell
them to let lceH satisfy them. Keep
the very poor at home and care for
them well, but large families with
moderate means send here. For
such there are opportunities here
that Wisconsin cannot offer. Final |
ly, keep at home all who cannot en-
dure some privations. Keep home
and take back all the chicken-heart-
ed We want grit and push out
here. w. JACKA.
Protection AurorR Co. June 4th, 1888.