The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-02-07

THE COMMITTEE OF INvEs110k 110M
REPORTS In SOUTH DAKOrk.

Many Exaggcrationn Successfully Refated-
h Actual Condition Of All the Countass
Plainly Set Forth-The Drought ard the
Crops for 1sS0-An Important showing.
The committee appointed by the Water
town convention has gone carefully over
the ground of investigating the present
condition of South Dakota with reference
to crop shortage and consequent dssttta.
ton, and submits the I. flowing report:
The committee appointed 1t the convens5
ton held in Watertown in. Pecenber last
for the purpose of ascertaining, II possiblsN
the exact financial condition Of our people
in order to the better refute tho false and
slanderous reports being circulated In the
south and east regarding the destttution
and suffering Of our people, caused ~
continued md unparalleled droughtss"
beg leave to submit the following report:
Your chairman has spent several weeks,
in gathering statistics; has In person Wis
and has sent out over 75U letters aud re.
ceived 1893 replies thereto. Nearly every,
member Of both houses Of q legislature
together with chairmen OF board OF county
commissioners, treasurers, registers Of
deeds aud prominent farmers have replied.
In his personal visits he found one
farmer who needed assistance, whose wheat
crop last season was 800 bushels from 81
acres; another needing aid whose GU acres
yielded 1000 bushels; several whose nv
erage on q good acreage was from IL to II
bushels.
Besides the wheat crop they had raised q
fair crop of corn, potatoes and vegetables.
We find in many counties similar illustra-
tions of Suffering from drought"
We find that over o very small area OF
territory within this state was the loss from
drought total, but in several localities there
was q %shrinkage of the average yield be-
low that of previous years.
We also find the suffering from any
cause not to exceed one-txentieth part Of
that reported by the eastern press.
1t is apparent that the class of farmers
who keep out of debt, or pay as they Co."
are not only not sinking, but are not need
ing aid.
There are thousands Of farmers in South
Dakota who came here with little or moth
ing who are now in comfortable circum..
with good buildings, we'll improved, and
have a good start in stock, while ON
the other hand We find those coming
here under similar or even better
circumstances, o badly involved, their
homesteads mortgaged as we'll as their
chattels.
The causes which have led to this state
or condition of our peoples finances will
be found in the tabulated statement which
follows, but 1t is from reports received
safe to say that We have purchased too
much farm machinery to economically till
the acreage We have under cultivation. We
have paid exorbitant prices for the same
and have not properly cared for it, so that
in n very short time it has been necessary to
replace it. /;
With n smaller cyoc y: y we had anticilS!
pated, We have been unable to meaG-OUt
obligations, and in consequence have bor-
rowed money at unusually high rates of in
terest, and the low price for produce, the
decline in the price of beef, pork and other
products Of the farm has compelled the re.
newal of obligations untilthe principal and
interest have swept away the tcs:'-eson i
many instances, and leftthosefssho are ask
ing AID, in some cases at least, really de.
serving. !.
While We find our crop has fallen below
an average and that q greater amount 81
rainfall would be beneficial, we are led &
believe from personal observation a. vel
rs from the reports Of q very large portion
indeed, nearly all our correspondents. .thal
the cause for the d%estitution that does 81,
list is not c%hargeable to either tho Ill o.
climate of our state.
We submit the following tabulateds state
ment of the ayeraGe. Of the prir1IS qMUes,
by counties, tGsetkefsW1k.Ssahnm 81
the proportionatc amount of mortgages.
both real and personal, and tie causes az
reported which have led to the condition
described: