The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-12-27
GLORIOUS OLD RENVILLE CO,
The Finest Alliance Meeting Ever
Held There. The Poverty
of the People.
The Immense Indebtedness of the
County.
BIRD ISLAND, Dec. Is, 1898

BIRD ISLAND, Dec. Is, 1893.
EDITOR REPRESENTATIVE:
Brother Long and [ have held TWEEN
ty-three meetings since Nov. 80; filed
all our appointments no matter what
the weather or distance was; rode IS
miles on the 18th of November, fac
ing the northwest wind, with mercu-
ry near 20o below zero to attend our
annual county allience meeting
which was the grandeSt ever held in
this county, which is saying a great
deal, as we have always had grand
meetings in point of numbers and
earnestness. This meeting did not
come up to some in point of the num-
Der of delegates, but the sentiment
and earnestness more than made up.
Had the weather been at all favora-
BILE there is no question but we would
have had the largest meeting ever
held in point of numbers.
The next day after the meeting 1
went to a Norwegian who was dele
gate. He said he would not have
missed attending such a meeting if
he had to go 100 miles and it cost
him $40 to get there.
Times are terrible amongst the
farmers in this county actual suffer
ing in many intances and but little
prospects ahead for any. OF course
you are alive to the real situation;
still, when one does little figuring
in their own immediate locality, it is
appalling to one who thinks or cares
for those who have struggled for
years to build up homes on these
prairies.
The mortgage Indebtedness of this
county exceeds $2,0OO,OOO, notwith-
standing the fact of homesteads hav-
ing been virtually given away to the
people fifteen and eighteen years ago.
Taking the population Of this lS90)
census as 1909, we have a per capita
mortgage Indebtedness of over SIG,
or $3.50 per family Of flee. While the
above showing should indicate pros
perity enough to satisfy even "Sena-
tor Paddock" yet the worst is to
come. Parties who have gone deeper
in their Investigations than I, and
men who may be relied upon as con-
sentative, find that the total indebt-
edness of this county exceeds $5,OOO,-
600. I see by the last Blue Book that
the total valuation of all property in
this county is placed at $4,194, lib!
1 do not care to investigate farther
in that line, or to dwell longer upon
it; my convictions are that unless we
get some legislation soon by men of
an entirely different stripe from the
majority now in state and national
bodies, then the only error I can dis
cover in Caesars Column is that the
author set the date for the building
of the column more than fifty years
too far off.
At the county alliance meeting, by
my earnest request, young man by
the name of Charles ALL was elected
county lecturer: he is man who can
speak fuently and earnestly in Eng
lish, Norwegian, and Swede. I be-
lieve comforting upon him the posi-
tion of county lecturer will encourage
him in the peoples cause. Such a
person has long been needed in this
county and state. Next week will
go to the young man and do all in
my power to encourage him to devote
his time to the alliance cause. All
who know me know it does not re-
quire a position to stimulate me,
nothing but the success of the peo-
PIES cause will stop me.