The Bottineau pioneer., 1890-03-15
FARMERS In WANT.
Statement by Clara Barton,
President fthe Red Cross
Association.
No Room for Doubt That More
Assistance Must Come
From Other States.

received from Clara Barton. president Of
the National Association of the Red Cross:
For many weeks past the Red Cross has been
In receipt OF letters OF appeal and statements In
among among the pioneer Settlers Of North and South
Dakota. These appeals have come to us from
trusted co-workers, and those who speak by
became SO. urgent as to be no longer ignored.
Living here at the national capital, 1t was de-
cided to call upon the senator's and representa-.
interviews then had, Senator L. r.
9f Noth DakOsa h :, rGts TO- g aay sSe
Red Cross. Under date OF Bismarek, Feb. ~,
Gov. Miller wrote, thanking the Red Cross for
the kindly aad ne
sen, state commissioner OF agriculture and labor,
with instructions to give all particulars as to
fs wants g
probably 5000 OF 5000 people dependent, and
saoa Sus or STOCK
able help has been received from st. Paul and
Minneapolis, also from Chicago and from several
resVs the nsds
the destitute, and much more will
have to be solicited from time to time"
wt paoer which Contains an appeal to the
public, signed by the commissioner, as follows:
''The suffering for want OF provisions clothing,
North Dakota is unprecedented in the state, and
needs some explanation. The destitution is
almost exclusively confined to the newer por-
tions of the state, where the settlements date
back only two, three and four years except Mel
son and Ramsey counties, which have been set
tied about six years. These new settlements
tries. composed largely OF people whose resources
wonld have been heavily taxed to succeed and
keep themselves above want with favorable sea-
sons"' st.'@. e.. II. .'
THE STORY IN ALL NEW STATES.
The story, as told by the commissioner, is
that of all our new states. Good seasons at
first rewarded them; every acre was turned over
III 1888 All appeared well until August OF that
year. when severe frost. a thing unknown be-
fore. killed the ripening grain. It did much dam
age in the older aud better portions OF the st ate
The hardy men did not lose their courage, but
hired out to neighbors, thereby earning the
or the seed sdtn and d Lying
was doubtless felt most severely OF anywhere I'D
the West in the fields and families OF the newly
settled portions OF both North n,sa,s and south d.
ond failure in some sections left many people
completely destitute. He adds: "Whiie nearly
or eight counties need much assistance: In this
area are the counties where the greatest amount
Of assistance is needed, VIZ; Nelson, Ramsey,
ns nnne w asa mead some helm as viii
Eddy and Mcintosh, the latter in the southern
portion OF the state In In the counties named named
asSs ess than Rs
number win need some assistance for stock.
Most Of them have hay, but horses
srs'Sn erops Unless they have grain. p11ihs The
supplies heretofore received are far from meet
needed The counties are well organized and
provisions are distributed through the county
commiss oner. The greatest care is taken to
Ali contributions, whether money or provisions
or clothing, should be forwarded to said COM
missioners at Grand Forks, where the proper
sen explains the condition of the state by show
ing that under its constitution, in taking over
property and debts from the former territory, 1t
that may be incurred. 1t is. therefore, unable
as state to raise all the money and means
TO SUPPLY THE DESTITUTE.
There ia no doubt from all the evidence that the
people OF North Dakota are doing the very best
tor their suffering fellow. citizens. There is no
licly given have met with warm responses from
the Northwest. But there is no room to doubt
that very much more Is needed The Red Cross
quires by its general field agent confirm this ap-
peal and information, as well as other state
ments received. There is no need, with the ex-
ties for the presence of the Red Cross ou this
field but there is a duty before it and before the
people of the sister states we'll. The Red Cross
thoritative statement it shall be the means
Of inducing subscriptions for the suffer-
ing people OF Dakota large enough
in amount to meet all the emergencies
rations, Of unclothed human beings, OF see Hess
fields, with all their attendant privations' yet
before these people, Judging from past expert.
wiser to send money that could be used on the
ground under direction of the state officials
assigned to that duty, than to spend it for rail-
road freight in purchasing goods, or other arti-
eles OF supplies, that may be better and more
properly obtained with cash in the hands of
those who know where it is most needed. In
the people will thereby be aided to help them
selves. The Red Cross therefore advises that
subscriptions be sent direct to H. T. Helgensen,
state commissioner of agriculture and labor,
Grand Forks, n D. 1t urges this because OF the
necessity and from q sense OF obligation which
all America owes to these pioneer brethren who
built new commonwealths in the West.