St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-13
DESTITUTE DAKOTA.
Jobbers and Merchants Of ST. Paul
Will Assist Farmers of the Twin

Jobbers and Merchants Of ST. Paul
Will Assist Farmers of the Twin
States.
Gov. Mellette, Senator Hunter and
other prominent South Dakotians, to-
gether with representative from North
Dakota, were in st. Paul yesterday, and
at a meeting of the jobbers' union and
chamber of m relief committees
explained the needs Of the country they
were here to represent in the matter of
grain for feed and seeding purposes.
In the absence of Chairman c. E. Mar
vim, who, however, arrived later, Judge
Clarke was appointed chairman of the
meeting.
Gov. Mellette explained the situation,
so far as South Dakota was concerned,
III avery clear statement of her needs and
prospects. A very large tract of cOun-
try, 200 townships at least, he said,
were populated by farmers who, out of
last years crop, had not ever got the
seed that had been sown. Most of
these people had been trying to raise
wheat exclusively, and the failure was
almost fatal to them. These had been
supported after a meager fashion
through the winter by home and for
CISu Siid lly. anu uQu OulNlhCu pIIllCI-
pally because the winter had been a
Fundamentally mild one. sThere have
been sent" continued the governor,
''some 1900 car loads of provisions and
clothing of various kinds, without which
many hundreds would have persisted
from colo and starvation ere this. The
constitution of South Dakota was
framed with a view to prevent
ing her from running into debt.
This is a good thing in its way. but the
fact that it is made unconstitutional for
counties to issue bonds for the purpose
of assisting any person or corporation.
We have tried in various ways to get
around this clause but can find no lo0p-
hole whereby we may constitutionally
aid these people in seeding the 800, 900
acres which will remain idle this eason
unless seed can be procured. Gov.
whole counties Uttered with dead chick
ems and other barn-yard inhabitants,
which had literally starved to death.
Hundreds of people had subsisted on
parched corn and equally meagre fare
through the winter, and these people
were now to be seen with cheer
full faces ready to plant their
farms, and try again If anyone
would trust them with the seed.
Senator Hunter said that it was to the
interest of st. Paul that Dakota should
prosper. The country was tributary to
st. Paul, and had done a good deal
toward building up the city to its pres
ent prominence. The railroads, he said,
would haul all donations of grain and
implements free. 1t was for st. Paul
iobbers and wholesalers to come to the
front and furnish the seed for those
vida onrac fIhnu onnll nnt afFn.I fo
see the country lie idle.
Gov. Mellette said that $40, 900 would
be necessary to provide feed for
the horses and put them in
shape for the spring work
on the farms. They were now
all in a half starved condition. AS for
the seed, the elevator men had agreed
to do all in their power, and aid was eX-
pected from other sources. st. Paul
was asked to contribute $1,000 or it's
value in grain for feed or seed toward
the fund, and the governor remarked
that he thought it would turn out to be
one of the best investments st. Paul
had ever made. One good crop, he
said, would place the farmers in a con-
dition once more to face the fight with
a prospect of final success.
Judge HOldredge,o of Miner county, de-
scribed the needs of the people there,
of which conflicting reports had ap-
peared. He said that wheat, corn and
flax averaged II busEel to the acre
each Ill Miner county last year, and crops
i'll other directions were almost equally
bad. The people had m%Ortgaged every
thing they had to mortgage, and were
now without resources other than
charity.
c. W. Hackett said that both North
and South Dakota were applicants for
aid, and both must be considered.
c. E. Marvin said that the committee
had anticipated an appeal of this sort in
the spring, and he believed it wa the
sense of the committee that immediate
action be taken to enable these people
to secure seed. He believed that be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 could be prom
ised from st. Paul for the two states.
After further discussion and explana-
tons the matter was adjourned to come
up at a meeting of the committees
called for Saturday morning at 9 o'clock.
Gov. Mellette visited Mayor Smith in
the morning and told him of the deSti-
tuition in South Dakota, asking him as
mayor to act as far as in his power for
the relief of the poor people. Mayor
Smith requested that Gov. Mellette
either be present OF have a representa-
tive at next Tuesdays meeting of the
city council. saying that he would adj
dress a letter to that body recommend
ing an appropriation of some kind. 1t
is probable that the fund for the ice
carnival of 1890 will be used for the re-
lief of the destitute DdkOtanS.