The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-02-18

MileS Wide ;.nd q thousand
LINCOLN, NEE, February 9.-The
Nebraska Legislature has asked q FEEDER.
al appropriation OF $1,000, 900 to prov
ide seed for the destitute settlers OF
Kansas, Colorado. Nebraska and the
Dakotas. That sum indicates the en-
tent of the calamity which has overtaken
portions Of these State as a result OF the
drought prevailing over large areas last
season. 1t is not certain that such a
sum is actually needed, but it is the
estimate put by the Legislature OF Ne
braska upon the wants Of the settlers
in the way of seed to enable them to
make a start next season. When :1e
estimated amounts required to carry Ihe
destitute through the winter Ct d to sup
port them until time for al other har-
vest are added to the sum asked from
the General Government, the total be-
comes enormous and challenges the at
tention of the entire country.
But bad as the situation is in some
parts ofthe stricken districts. and severe
as the suffering has been IN isolated
cases. that could not be quickly reached
through the regular channels of relief, a
great deal has been done by the States
interested to meet the Deed OF their I'M
5 fortunates and even should Congress
decline to grant the desired appropria-
ton, as it probably will, there is not
much danger that serious results Will iol-
low.
The region that has suffered so serious
" from drought is about $50 miles wide
and over 1000 miles in length. On the
east are the rich agricultural lands OF
the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas and
on the west are The wealthy mineral
and stock producing States and Terri
tories of the Rocky Noun tain region.
If one State were obliged to bear the
) eurden of the crop failures of the past
.wo years in The region indicated, 1t
would cause widespread disaster, and
possibly the bankruptcy OF the State
Government. Fortunately the bur den
falls upon several States, and, although
many individuals will lose the accounlula-
tons Of years, and suffer many prlva-
lions, it is hoped that all cases OF gen
llne destitution can be relieved without
an appeal for assistance either from the
Federal Government or the general pup
lie.
The people who are suffering on the
Western pralries are the victims OF mis-
placed confidence. For years they have
peen crowding toward the West under
she deluslon that rapid change il the
climate Of the plains was taking place,
and that with the breaking Of the sol,
the building Of railways, and the plant
ing of trees, would come an Immediate
and permanent increase IN the rainfall.
Twenty live years ago it was believed
that agriculture could not succeed $50
miles west Of the Missouri River. But
the settlers went beyond that limit and
prospered. The rainfall did appear to
increase. Then they pushed out farther
and farther and were blessed with good
crops. The cattlemen, who had hoped
to retain control of the region in Western
Kansas and Nebraska, insisted that
agriculture could not be successfully car
RED on between the Tooth meridian and
the mountains. But they were not
needed, because they were Interested
aarties and could reasonably be supposed
exageerating the aridity Of the region
which they desired to hold for their own
use.
Soon after 1880 number of railroads
sesan baifs6drrg from the Missouri River
to the mountains, and in few years
iour or five new roads had been con-
.struered. It was noticed that the soil
was good nearly all the way, and the
rainfall was abundant. The land seemed
ready for civilization. Partly through
the efforts of the railroads and partly on
account OF the tremendous amount OF
immigration into the whole West, the set
tiers began to crowd toward the seml-arld
strip, about 200 miles wide. and extend-
inc, parallel with the Rocky Mountains
tor over 1000 miles. Their confidence
was increased by the steady prosperity OF
tie people who had settled on the
borders Of the district that was so long
held n question. From 1884 until 1881
the Government land Offices all over the
Western plains were besieged by ap-
.plieants for homesteads and lands suita-
ble for entry under the timber-culture
law. People with scarcely the means
to reach the lard, and in some cases
without enough tc pay the small entry
fees required BY the Government rushed
on to the new and untried soil and be-
Gan tie struggle for existence.
- For two or three seasons there was
plenty of rainfall. and it was proclaimed
that the rain belt" had been carried
westward until the arid PLAINS had entire
" disappeared and the soil could be
cultivated every foot Of the long 500
miles between the Missouri River and
the Rocky Mountains. This Theory
was widely heralded and SO generally !
believed that before the close OF 1888
there was but little desirable land in |
Western Kansas and Neb ;aska and
Eastern Colorado that had not been
settled upon by men whose sole capital
was muscle and energy.
Since 1887, however, the rainfull on
The new ram bell" has been tckle ard |
insufficient. Crops have been total or
partial failures for two and, in some
places, for three seasons. Thousands
efsettlers have left Eastern Colorado
and Western Kansas and Nebraska, and
many of those remaining cannot hope to
stay and hold their claims without help.
The census shows that Kansas has de-
creased in population since 1888, large
-iiy on account of the emigration from the
counties on the extreme west.
IfNebraska, which has asked the Fed
eral app opriation, is in worse condition
than the States around her, it is because
she has at present a larger population
in the counties in which agriculture is
as yet an experiment, Crops were a
failure IN Western Kansas in 1888 and
the two following seasons, while it was
reserved for Nebraska to have a partial
failure in the western counties in 1889. I
and total failure in 1890. Emigration
Al