The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1905-03-31
FARMERS ARE HEAVY DEPOSITORS|
prosperity OF So.h Dakota Agrcuturists Shown by Cond
ton of Banking Institutions.

There is nothing more encouraging.
ing significant than the sound and
prosperous condition of the banking
institutions of South Dakota Other
states in the West, notably Iowa, have
had many failures in the last few
yeaSS, with an attendant train of sui
cides, prosecutions in courts and SEN
fences to Imprisonment. But there
has been no failure in South Dakota.
In the towns of from $50 to 500 in
iabitants throughout the eastern half
OF the state there is always one bank
and sometimes two. These are cap
Italized at $4,000 to $4,000 Their de-
posits run from five to fifteen times
their capital stock, and loans and dis
counts are from four to ten times the
capital. In no small town do business
men have large enough amount of
money outside that tied up in their
business to make up such deposits.
This is proof conclusive that these
heavy deposits come from the farmers.
The banks are managed on broad
and at the same time conservative
basis, and while their finances are
handled with circumSpection, economy
and ability, spirit of enterprise and
felpfulness characterizes their deliber-
ations and dominates their actions. To
such an extent does this sentiment
and disposition prevail that any FEAST
Die and practicable project presented
by competent and trustworthy men
can be sure of receiving substantial
support and encouragement from
them.
A report by the state bank examiner
shows deposits in state and national
banks of South Dakota to have been
over s32.O00,OO0, an increase of over
100000 within year. The nation
al banks alone increased their depos-
its from $6119,427 Jan. /, 1899, to
Sl2,397, go July 1, 1908. an increase of
over 100 per cent in four years. The
total bank deposits are $71.l0 per cap
sta Of the states population.
The state debt is small, not aggre-
eating 81 per capita. Most of the coun-
ties are out of debt, or at most. a small
floating debt that can be paid at any
time. The annual tax ON farm val
ued by its owners at $4,000 as rule
amounts to $40 or SIS.
AS the tide of empire has taken it's
way westward, as the settling up of
the country has extended to the west,
so has the price of land always risen,
so it always will rise.
1t is so plain that "he who runs may
read" that the great tide of immigra-
ton that is pouring into South Dakota
Is bound to rapidly enhance the price
of lands in the magnificent domain
embraced within the boundaries of
Shis resourceful state.
Every year the corn crop receives
greater attention.
1t Is recognized as one of the safest
surest and most profitable crops grown
IN the state.
Better acclimated seed corn and the
retention of moisture in we'll cultivat-
ed lands accounts for the constant i'm
provement in the crop.
Sioux Falls is the home of Doane
Robinson, secretary of the State His
Sorical society, and widely recogniz-
ed authority on matters industrial as
we'll as historical. Mr.. Robinson says:
ITO summarize in a paragraph the
advantages which South Dakota pre-
1 sents to the homeseeker, it may be
5 said that her soil is uniformly fertile,
producing fair returns Of all field
crops Indigenous to the Northern
states. Wheat growing is no longer a