Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1890-12-03
LOOKING

and l, until we came to . very quaint
little town which bore the marks o.
past business life and activity. The
long shady avenues, now unkempt
were dark and gloomy; the once
beautiful school grounds where the
children used 10 play was now
dense growth Of underbrush; the
stately shade trees were being cut
down aud cut into wood shed length
as the people seemed to be too lazy
to cut it into cord wood. There
were but one or two stores in the
town. and no one seemed TO know
much about anything. l inquired
Of my attendant the cause OF this
dilapidation and lack Of interest.
The cause Of the fall Of this once
beautiful and populous city is a
very long story. The people Of this
once fair land were u prosperous
and peaceful race; the flag Of the
nation was respected wherever it
went, but a change came over the
land, a dissatisfied people called
anarchists came here from ACROSS the
seas, and SO wrought up were our
| people over their clamor for a change
that their excitement overpowered
their better judgment and they
elected men to fill the different
Offices Of county and state who
were totally unfit for the posi-.
tions. As you see, the govern
ment owns the railroads. It
was obliged to issue bonds to pay
for them. They are not taxed, there
fore the government receives no
revenue from them. The farmer
and mechanic must pay SO much
more towards the support of the
government, and the bonds, neither
are they taxed; they are owned, 10
be sure, by what were once wealthy
men, but not now. They were forced
to accept these bonds as payment
for their roads. They cannot dis
pose of them for the reason that
there is not enough gold and silver
in circulation to buy them. Foreign
markets will not look at them from
the fact that anything without
value at home is not p~urchasable
abroad. Our farmers and mechanics
have MI turned statesmen; the pillow
stands in the field and the
mechanics kit is thrown among the
shavings. Money? Yes, We have
lots Of it. That bundle you see
lying over there by that pile of
weeds is u bundle Of greenbacks.
Our statesmen ordered an unlimited
issuance of hat kind, and the con.
sequence is that after our merchants,
manufacturers and shippers had
bought and shipped large invoices
of all kinds and paid for them with
gold and silver certificates, this new
kind of legislation came, and they
were obliged to sell and receive in
payment this kind Of money, but
when they had sold their goods aud
wanted more, they very soon found
that it took two or three dollars to
buy one dollars worth, until now
you can get a wagon load Of this in
fated currency for five cents in gold
or silver. Yes, the people can get
all the money Of the government
they want at one per cent. They
have tried it, and there it is as you
see it, over there by the weeds.
Cheap money is the great cry, and
we have got it. Our people thought
they could get along better without
the money sharks, as they call them,
and have traded capitalists for
statesmen. Oh, yes; we are all
statesmen; we have no other am
bition. But let me tell you, all our
real capitalists, together with our
gold aud silver, have gone to
Europe. where by wise and timely
legislation they have got rid of the
anarchists and are prospecting, and
on the other hand we are bankrupt.
We have not got the master hand at
&he wheel; there is no inducement
for anyone to work, as nothing is to
be gained by it except a bare ex-
istence; enterprise is an unheard Of
thing; the people care nothing for
it; shipping is almost a thing Of the
past. What few trains are run are
conducted by sleepy government
oficials, aud all that is carried is,
government supplies, officers and
their families.
"lsut how are these roads kept
up?" I asked.
"By direct taxation. The roads
+ -
yield nothing. They are not taxed,
SO the expense must come out Of the
people; but there is n thing we
can say, and that il we own the
roads and the bonds, too, because
neither can get away"
"Te!l noe what that old, tumble
down looking building is used for,
and what are those so!dicrs doing p"