The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-12-13
TIME Foas A GRANGE.

Conklin's Dakotion-It would
seem that the time is at hand when
obscrsant Dakotana must see that it
will take something beside brick and
mortar to make the towns aud cities
prosperous. In our owns and cities
are gathered the most brain and abil.
ity and the largest experience, as is
the case IN all countries. And it is
among such men we should expect
to ind movements originating for the
permanent prosperity of their respec-
tive localities. But it is 4 ~lanentable
fact that the energies OF such people,
and their means, has all been ex-
pended in the endeavor to ont build
their neighbors, until the result is
towns ana cities are over.buiit. They
are larger than the development of
the country around them and the
financial condition of the country can !
fairly support, And now they are
just beginning to feel the conse-
! qpences in vacant rooms, offices,
buildings.and Improbable business.
There are altogether toe many bust
ness men in the condition of the fell.
low who stood beside q iive.feot
fence trying 10 lift himself over by
his boot straps, and he came rs near
succeeding as business men will iii
growing rich by building brick
blocks not necessary and erecting
monuments OF municipal FOLLY in the
shape of costly and magnificent pub
lie buildings built on borrowed capi
tai, where none such are needed.
Where is the support of such extrav-
agance TO come from? Will a sur
rounding country, sparsely settled by
farmers who are poor, worse than
that heavily in debt, their farms and
chattels heavily mortgaged for one
fourth to one-half their value, add
on which they are paying a rate of
interest that exhausts every dime Of
their surplus, goingto atford a profit
able business to the business men aud
r interests of such towns and cities?
II not, what will support them? Have
we any forests that people can cut
down and sell; any mines from which
they can dig wealth? / fnot where is
; the money TO come from 10 pay the
debts Of the people and the millions
. of money expended in reckless town
| Building? Can it be obtained fro N
: agricultural pursuits -from men who
, raise wheat for sixty cents a bnsliel
and pay three per cent. taxes and
: three to five per cent. a month inter
J | art a., ,>,I,,I,- o,,l ],I,,,, l,,,l. ,-i.,,
5 renewals of loans are necessary? Or
10 men who must sell fat cattle for
from Il to two cents per pound and
\ haze to pay for the larger portion of
r farm supplies just what trusts and
q combinations choose to ask? Five
f years ago we said TO the people of
Y this city: strip the farmer by
q whatever means until he shall have
barely enough year 10y year to pay
his interest and taxes and keep soul
. and body together, ard if continued
i long enough the result will be that
the mechanic will close the door OF
his shop, the anvil will cease to ring
and the machinery to hum, the mer,
- chants good, will mouldef On tbs
shelves Tor want Of buyers, the grass
will grow in the streets and Dakota
towns and cities become tenantlas,
- ruins. Long ago the people of cui
- towns should have turned their at
" tention, earnestly and with thsi
10 whole hearts, TO dcsiSing means Il
make agricultural pursuits prosper
Gus: to make farming profitable, in
stead of striving to build IeyoBl
O. what the farming interests can sup
'g port. The number of oar banks anG
20 loan companies III all our large town
as and cities, SO immensely out of pro
AZ portion to the population, shoulc
have taught the people OF the town
that there was something RADICAL,
g wrong. That snch an immense NUN
10 Der could not thrive except upon th'
4 ruin of all other interests. Thi
should have been plain as sunligh
a to all men of observation and knowi
edge. Dakota, North and South, ha
for the past six years been on til
direet road to financial ruin, an
= travelling with railroad speed togars
y its cu~lnaination. How mach longe
will the business and professions
=" men Of a Dakota towns keep Try
az ing TO lift themselves by their boo
straps? 1t is time they woke mp an'
learned what was the matter; Tim
ce they began to unite in one voice an
q let it ring out so lond that it ma
Sc reach both the oceans it lies midwa
to between, saying the farmers interest
must be protected. That is ouront
solution. Robbers Of all kinds, TAX
or your hands off the farmers throats {
nd by the eternal we will lay our hand
ly, on you. When half the brain wor
lg shall have been expended by the bu
mess men of town to devise NEAR
to make the farmer prosperous
help him out of the quicksands int
NJ which the robber has lung him,
% will begin to prosper, begin TO hay
"a something to spend in town, an
~ then other farmers will come in an
settle here and develop the mdeve
oped acres o earning nothing, ar
by such are largely in the majority; al
J a such new coaers will prosper, al
M tie surplus of all will roll into o
res towns. Then we shall begin to s.
substantial growth and substanti
prosperity. Then we may even p;
an the debts that have been contract
',o in folly. But such only is the ros
oe to success; there is no other.
E.zIScarss srpIr.o tT-trn