The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1890-08-15

made for an irrigation convention In Alb
erdeen. to which representatives are In
vited from both Dakotas. The idea Of the
promoters of the convention is to invoke
government aid to the extent OF damming
the Missouri and constructing an i'm
mense trrigating canal. The GRAPHIC
has more tnan once pointed out the folly
OF depending upon government aid in
this matter of more water tor these prai-
ries. and 1t goes without saying. there
tore, that 1t takes but little stock In this
Aberdeen meeting, All South Dakota
people are familiar with the years Of
hard labor 1t required to get the Sioux
reservation opened. That the opening
OF the land required 80 much persistent
e6ort was due mostly to general indiher-
ence by congress- tn the interests Of the
West. 1t wa q very easy matter then
tor q few obstructiopists to delay mattera
to q time when the opening OF the land
was Of no immediate benefit to the state.
It ought not to take but little study to
foresee what would be the ultimate re-
suit OF an effort to secure q large enough
government appropriation to he of any
practical benefit to South Dakota in this
matter Of irrigation or a general system
OF artesian wells for stock purposes, II
the effort was q success it would only
como when the choicest lands we're all
in the hands Of spectators who would
have money and influence enough to lobby
the measure through. II you were to
travel through the East to-day 1t Ia safe
to lsay that ninety-nlne men out of q
hundred would say-if you can't raise
crops in Dakota you had better come
back where you can. That is the senti-
ment exactly that runs throughout all
the East. Perhaps as good an illustra-
ton of this as we can point out is that of
the tone Of some great dailies no farther
away than Chicago-whieh of all locali-
ties In the country ought to be interested
in the success and development Of South
Dakota. In a recent editorial the Chica-
go Herald not only took occasion to say
that the scheme of obtaining any con
siderable amount Of water by artesian
wells was not only visionary, but added:
But what would be the result if a way
to irrigate from ten to fifty million acres
of arid land could be foundf The settle
ment of this land would make the condi-
tiOn OF the farmers much worse than it
Is new. 1t would reduce the value of
their land, their buildings, their stock
and implements. It would cause the
price Of everything they raise to be still
lower. 1t would produce a glut of grain,
vegetables, fruit and stock in every mar
ket in the country. Itwould cause mort
cages to be fOreclosed on hundreds of
thousands of farms In each of the old
settled states. II would reduce q fourth
OF the Independent farmers of the country
to the condition Of tenants. 1t would
establish in most Of u states q class Of
landlords more numerous than that Of
Ireland or Bavaria. 1t would substitute
Q violent for a lingering death to every
department Of husbandry in this country,
l would cause the speedy extinction oil the
gentleman. II there was q scarcity OF
food In this section or q prospect Of one
1t might be the duty of the government
to provide against it. But such Is moi
the case. There Is much more OF every
kim OF food than can be consumed. The
price of farm products Of every kind is
much lower than that of clothing or Other
manufactured goods. Adding to the ex.
tent Of u productive land and aiding
more people to engage in agriculture is
an outrage on farmers, It is as unjust
as would be the construction by the gov
eminent Of cotton mills and iron works
to compete with those erected and Oper
ated by individuals. Government hat
no more right to ruin the farmers Of ILL
nois by irrigating land in Montana thar
It has to ruin the cotton manufacturers
in Massachusetts by erecting mills II
lowO to be given to the person who viii
operate them. Though 1t will not pay Il
irrigate land In the valley Of the Miss
issippi and other parts of the country
where the rainfall is deficient and unre
liable. when the object is to produce tn,
cereals, 1t would pay to irrignte small
portions when fruits and vegetables al,
to be raised. This year there Is a very
small crop OF berries peaches and grapes
There Is not sufficient moisture to pro
duce them. A plantation Of fruit tina
can be irrigated will produce very larg,
crops In q year when 3 prolonged droutl
OOCuA6s ny VIC HUH WUuAU Ue Ul v0Ty
superior quality 1t would command
high price. The water Of several river.
: In Ohio, Illinois and Iowa could be uset
to excellent advantage in irrigatine
bodies of land devoted to peaches, 9rapel
and berries. By the erection OF dam
the water could be conducted into chan
Dels and carried long distances at q yer.
small expense. With little doubt 4
would pay to pump water from lakes by
means of steam or wind power to be uset
for %irrigating land that is devoted t.
raising vegetables and small fruits. Elk
pertments Of this kind promise much bet
ter than those that have been proposed
for making valuable the arid plains Of
the far West.
By the way, how is that for gall, any
way? II you find editorials like the fore
going in Chicago papers what can 70,
expect when you strike New York city
Don't you think the GRAPHIC knows
what it is talking aboutY
It is admitted and popularity supposed
that Count TOlstoi's new novel, TIL
"Kreutzer Sonata" has been excludes