The state herald., 1890-03-07
hst dships Of the Pioneer.

The accounts Of destitution among
the new settlers which are coming
from North and South Dakota will
bring vividly to the mind Of the pres.
ent genetatsoh the hardships which
have to be bothe by the pioneer. 1t Is
only once in ten or fifteen years that
such u combination Of circumstances
occ"rs, rs has brought about the pres
ent situation In these new States.
The last time the sympathies Of the
older settled parts Of the country were
awakened by stories Of want from the
frontier was In 1878 when swarms Of
locusts were devastating the fields Of
the farmers In southwestern Nebras.
ka. About twelve years before that,
II failure Of crops compelled the settlers
Of Kansas to appeal to the country for
help.
So the condition Of things which
now prevails in the Oak otas Is neither
new nor lasting. The same situation
has happened In nearly NIL the frontier
States at some period In their early
history.
Kansas quickly recovered and start
ed on an err of unparalleled prosper.
ity. Its two million inhabitants snd
the immense crops II produced las,
year prove that the faith Of the pioneer
In the future Of tho State, was we'll
founded. The result will unboubtec.
ly be the same In Dakotas. Ten years
ago from now the pioneer Of to-day.
developed into the thrifty farmer, will
look back np"n the present period
Of depression, and A. he secs himself
surrounded by all the evidences sf civ.
ilizztion will wonder how he could
have permitted phenomenal drouth
and frosts to have caused HIM TO lose
hope, even momentsrily. but this fu.
tire prospect does not lessen In the
least the present claim these pioneer
have upon the sympatl,ies and material
aid Of the country. They nre doing u
work which is NJ necessary ~ II Is haz.
nrdoua, II may be saId u,xt many Of
them have shown little discretion In
pushing no fur into the wilderness
when their resources were limited and
n failure Of one crop even was sure to
bring destitution. But II this venture.
some spirit were lacking there would
be no pioneers, no new neighborhoodi
would be settled and the vanguard ol
civilization would not have yet crossed
the Allegheny mountains. The met
who came from the eastern States on,
hundred yeara ago 70 settle the north
west territory showed much greater
temerity than the most v~nturesom,
pioneer Of to-day. But the Ave great
states formed out Of that tsrritor,
stand - proofs Of the pioneers energ,
and ssgacity. The nation owes n deb
70 these pioneers which II can oni,
partly repay by standing between then
and destitutton during such periods o
depression M the present. Most o
them obtain ouly the barest results o.
tho hard, rude work they do. The,
have to csntent themselves with lay
Ing n foundation for future genera
tionS to build upon.
They blaze ths way In tho fores,i
nissl break the tough soil of the prairie
aDd then zee others come In To rear
tho fruit Of their lnbors. TIE courage
they tlsplay, their indifference u hard.
shipa ard willingness 70 make sscrs.
ices, snttle them 70 m much praise
and honor Nj w world gives 10 tiUss.
who. in \ rnornemt Of inspiration win
lasting renown on Ne Held of battle.
IL Ii little return for the hsroism Of
these DnkotA pioneers that they and
thelrp should be kept from starvation
aud Ia given Tho uiesMs and opportun.
lty mgAin " facs tive A,.d rugged I'm.
lure bruvely.