The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-04-26
IRRIGATION MEETING
SPEECH OF w. v. DOYLE ON
IRRIGATION
the Irrigation Convention Held
at sturgls City, Meade County, South
Dakota, March IS, 1895, For the Pur-
pose of County Organization.

My friends the subject Of irrigation is
ne in which all good and patriotic citi-
zens should have a deep and lively inter
est. no matter what their occupations
may be, the condition Of the day lab
orers, the mechanic the professional
man the merchant, the manufacturer
and the fnancier as we'll as the farmer
will be material benefited by a perma-
nent and unvarying condition of agrl.
cultural prosperity we have in the
United States a vast amount Of terri
tory known as arid and semi-arid lands,
properly irrigated this territory would
support a dense population of thrifty
industrious people, under thatsystem of
of agriculture the soil is capable OF
easily reaching the highest state OF Guilt
walton and productlveness and would
provide homes and employment for mil
lions and millions Of the best class OF
American citizens who would be q bull
wark of the nation in peace or war.
Without irrigation this territory will
be the Hotbed and Matching ground Of
political discomfort, a constant menac
to American institutions of liberty and
freedom which we all love so dearly,
therefore I believe irrigation to be the
hope of this nation in general and Of
our own Black Hills district in partl-
cular.
We have here other and prominent
industries aside from agricultural, 1T is
true we have q marvelously rich mining
region in our mountain districts where
gold and silver and most all valuable
mineral substances are found in abun-
dance where generations OF sturdy men
will toll through ages yet to come tx
tracing from natures treasure boxes
the hidden wealth there 80 generously
stored,
But my friends it Is little benefit our
people will ever derive from those vast
industries in our midst if the supp lies
necessary to carry them on are to be
brought to us from abroad as at present
today we have only two sources Of reye-
nue. OF any considerable note to bring
money into this part OF the country
namely our mining and live stock indus
tries. It is really a wonder that we are
80 prosperous and have go much money
among Our people rs we have for both
Of those industries are largely owned
and operated bv nonresident corpora
who expend but little money a.
our people aside from the wages
Of the labor necessary to carry on
their business, the profits do not remain
with us. Each day we see a freight
train coming IN on the northwestern
railway and also another on the Bur-
and Quincy railroad both
loaded down with freight for our people
to pay for and send their money out Of
district and state, imagine the
value Of one carload of ordinary freight
then think OF two train loads daily COM
ing to our doors for every nickle our
people can raise and scrape and what
do they bring in exchange for our gold
and silver. I will tell you my friends
what do you see them unloading daily
at your doors hay, eats, and corn po-
tatoes, butter and cheese, -four, sugar
pork and lard Vegetables Of every dis
cription green picked and canned fruits
of all kinds that would thrive aud -four
ish here and in all shapes imaginable
dried, green, picked, preserved and can
ned. And why is this? why do the peo-
pie OF the Black Hills country emport
farm products? is it because there are no
farming LAMBS here? no there are millions