Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1890-02-05
4 CAREFUL INQU1ItY.
THE COMMITTEES or INvEsII0ATlON
REPORTS IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

Many Exaggerations Successfaliy Ifsfnted--
The Actual Condition " All tho Co~nties
Plainly Set Forth--Ths Drought md the
Crops for 1850 An Important Showing.
The committee appointed BY the Water
town convention has gone carefully over
tho ground Of investigating the present
condition Of South Dakota with references.
to crop shortage and consequent dsstitu.
tion, and submits the fuilcwipg report:
The committee appointed II the consen-
tion held in Watertown In December last
for the purpose Of ascsrtaining, II possible,
the exact financial condition Of our people
in orier to the bsGtsr rsfuts the false and
slsnderous reports being circulated IL the
south and east segardtpg ths dastitutiOn
and snaaflag p
hey leave 10 submit tho following report:
ionr chairman has spent sevetal Weeks
in gathering statistics: ass 10 person vis-
tied several counties, talking to the needy,
and has sent out over 75U letters and fe-
ceiyed 393 replies thereto. Nearly every
member Of both houses Of our legislaAure,
together with chairmen Of board ofscounty
~
deeds and prominent farmers havs replied.
In his personal visits De found one
farmer who needed assistance, whose wheat
crop last season was 800 bushels from 50
acres; another needing aid whose so acres
yielded 1000 bushels; several whose av-
erage on good acreage was from II 10 II
bushels.
Besides the wheat crop they had raised q
fair crop Of corn, potatoes and vegetables.
We find in many counties simil8r iliustra-
tions Of suffering from drought.
We find that over very small area OF
territory within this state Was the loss from
drought total, but in several localities there
was = shrinkage Of the average yield be.
low that OF previous years.
We also find the suffering from. any
cause notto exceed one-t twentieth part OF
that reported by the eastern press.
who keep out of debt, or pay 40 they 20,
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-
stances, owning 16O or more acres OF land,
with good buildings, we'll improved, and
have good start In stock, while ON
the other hand No find these coming
here under similar or even better
circumstances, now badly involved, their
homestsads mortgaged - well q theis
chattels. ss
The causes which hsve led to this state
or condition Of our peoples finances will
be found In the tabulsted statement which
follows, but 1t IL from reports received
safe to say that We have purchased too
much farm machinery to economically till
hn ona M hov md ami iNn a
have paid exorbitant prices for the Same
and have not properly cared Tor il, 80 that
In very short time it has been necessary tc
replace Il.
With smaller crop than we had antici-
patsd, We have been unable to meet our
obligations, and in consequence have bor-
rowed money st unusually high rates Of In
terest, and the low price for produce, the
decline In the price Of beet, pork and othel
products OF tho farm has compelled the 70.
newal OF obligations until the principal and
interest have swept away the total crop ID
many instances. and left those who are ASK.
ing aid, In some cases at least, really de.
serving.
While We find our crop has fallen below
an average and that greater amount ol
rainfall would be beneficial, We are led Il
believe from personal observation as vel
o. from the reports q q very large portion
indeed, nearly eli our correspondents, tnai
the cause for the .destitution that does ex
list 10 not chargesble to either the soil ol
climate Of our state.
We submit the following tabuiated state.
ment of the average Of the principal crops
by counties, together with 1ummary oi
| the proportionatc amount OF mortgages
both real and personal, and tie causes al
reported which have led to the condition q
described: