The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-12-20
store once a year on a gallop, and nc
show up again for a twelvemonth.

store nee a year on a gallop, and not
show up again for a twelvemonth.
Now l suppose: I could prove by sew
eral reliable witnesses that l have not
got much Of a head on me, and that
do not know mueh In comparison with
the railroad directors. capitalists, man
ayers and superin,endents I would not
be worth a cant. Idoubt IL could get
a position as boss of a gang of section
hands, but no one will accuse me of
beng unable to see a hole in a ladder.
I would like to take q few railroad d.
rectors who had three months to spare.
l would take them in a democrat wag-
on and drive them over those prairies
and visit the farm houses and talk with
the people, and when l got through with
those directors they would admit that
they had learned something, and they
would take the advice of an ordinary
red-headed man, and in five years they
would make the railroads that run across
these p%rairies pay as we'll as the railroads
of Wisconsin, Illinois, orIowa, | would
adyise them to stop holding cut indsce-
ments to emigrauts from other eouA-
tries to come here without money and
take up a large quantity of land. Nine
tenths of them are u damage to the
try and to the railroads. They will live
tor years and never cultivate forty acres
while they five or six hundred.
One Illinois or Wisconsin farmer with
money, aud they all have money, is
worth a dozen poor emigrants. The
eastern farmer who sells out his farm
and goes to western Minnesota or Da-
kota would be a capitalist. He could
buy a farm OF some Of the laRd-poor crea-
lures who live in sod houses or shanties,
build u house any man might be proud
of, raise a family OF children in luxury,
and help develope a country that it will
take half n century to develop with pau
per families from Europe. Discharge
all emigrant agents and seek farmers in
well-settlea states who want to go west,
but who will not do SO if they have to
burn hay. "And how will you prevent
their having to burn hay" someone will
ask, Just this way. l would have
every car that now goes west, empty.
after wheat, carry coal. l would have
railroads make a specially of laying
down soft coal at every station at abso-
lutte cost, say two dollars a ton. 1t can
be bought for 81 80 a ton at the mines OF
Illinois or Iowa. Let the railroads carry
it tree if necessary. 1t would be no
worse than carrying many other things
free of charge that railroads carry. in
GLIDING hald-headed editors. Let them
charge for the actual wear and tear OF
trains, and for help, and they could fur
nish coal at two dollars a ton to farmers
and residents of the far west. and they
would not loose q dollar. Then adver,
tise all oyer Gods creation that for the
next ten years coal would be furnished
to actual settlers on those vast prairies
at two dollars a ton. and there would III
an Immigration of farmers who have
money, and who know how to farm, d.
versify crops and make money. They
would buy out those poor devils who
are struggling under a load of debt with
their hundreds of acres of uncultivates
land, aud the whole country would
boom and be covered with nice houses
and happy people will drive bloodet
horses into thriving little towns. Th,
station agents could handle the coal
weighing, etc., and the farmers would
be mighty glad to shovel it into thei
wagons IL they could get it cheap. TIL.
coal dealers that now take the last dol
lar a man has could quit business. and il
ten years the railroad owners woult
thank me for the suggestions here mad,
and may be give me q pass over all lines.
Let the different railroads compete will
each other to see how cheap they car
lay down coal for the farmers as we'll a
to compete OF the price they pay TO,
wheat, aud an era of prosperity will com
mcnce out that way that will cause tn,
hair to raise on the heads of those direc
tors who pay their annual visit to tn,
west. l do not know as any ~railreat
owners will read this, and 1t may not d,
any good at all. but if it does not l will
some day Get all the railroad manager
and directors together in q room. loci
the door, and deliver them a lecture
mile long on chow to run railroads S,
people will love them" If am dom,
business with a class of people it doe
not do me any good to have those pee
pie look upon me as q highway robbie
who wants to get every dollar they havI
and laugh at them when l nave got j
all. That is about the way the mnjcrit,
of settlers in the far west look at rail
roads. Such Il state of things is not de
served by the railroads. but il exist
just the same, and that feeling will b
changed to one of respect if the railroad
will show that they have an earnest dc
sire to benefit the farmer. and will nee
them half way 81 attemptingt 10 solve til
cheap fuel question | will be happy I
meet any railroad owner or manager q
any lime and argue with him until he j
bald-hesdcd, know | am right, an
the railroads are wrong. If l help tn
western farmer in this matter, l help tb
railroads more. and it does not hurt me
My war cry FROM this out is give Mil
ueaoto 6ni Dakota fsrr,prs coal of fyu