The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-05-12

pie of South Dakota are not in favor
OF railroad rate regulation and sup
ervision by the federal government,
as this would effectually prevent the
futher development and growth in
population of South Dakota, as we'll
as other western states which have
large areas of government land yet
subject to entry. G -
The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
railway company has just commenced
the work of extending a line of road
from the town of Chamberlain, situ-
ated on the Missouri river, in the GEN.
trail part of the state, toward the Black
Hills, in western South Dakota. This
line, when extended to the Black
Hills, will be the first railroad to con-
meet western and eastern South DakO-
ta. This is also the first railroad line
to be extended into vast territory
embracing an area of about 10000, 900
acres of land which was ceded to the
government by the Sioux Indians in
1899, and opened to homestead settle
ment on February 10, 1890.
During the present year the new line
of the Chicago, Milwaukee Il st. Paul
railway company will be extended
about seventy or eighty miles, to the
interior of the ceded lands between
the Missouri river and the Black
Hills. e. Es-s.3 &
AS in early days, region which for
the most part is nnoccupied is again
invaded by railroad, and, as vas
the case in the vast territory east of
Missouri river, it is probable the
same liberal policy which settled east.
ern South Dakota will be followed for
the purpose of inducing settlement OF
the new region through which the new
railroad line is being extended. Set
Element of this and other parts of
South Dakota, where there is room
for thousands of new settlers, would
be stopped completely should the gov
ernment assume control of freight and
passenger rates and fix an inflexible
rate.
Residents of South Dakota are be-
ginning to understand the Importance
of this question from the standpoint
of the interests of their state. They
realize that under government control
reduced rates could not be given new
settlers as an inducement for them to
occupy the vacant government lands
OF South Dakota, and the result
would be that the influx of new sell
tiers, which is SO necessary for the
future development and prosperity of
the state, would cease and the develop
ment of South Dakota would be at a
standstil
This is one of the reasons why the
people of South Dakota do not wish
to see change made in the existing
order of things SO far as the control
of freight and passenger rates is
concerned, and they will heartily sus-
tain the South Dakota delegation in
congress in opposing any change.
Notwithstanding the good work
done by the railroads during the past
twenty years in advancing the mater
ial and business interests of South
Dakota, there yet remains vast
amount of work along the same line to
be done.
In round numbers South Dakota
vet has about 100000 acres of va
cant government land, and this amount
Mt will be added to from time to time
as the surplus lands of Indian reser-
vations are ceded to the government
and opened to settlement.
Under the existing order of things,
the railroad companies will be able to
continue as an important factor in
having the unoccupied lands of the
state settled upon and brought under
guilty alton.
But to accomplish this, it is real
lied by the people of South Dakota
the railroad companies must be free
to continue their present and past
liberal policy in granting reduced
rates to homeseekers. Unless they
can do this, the development of the
state will cease and millions of acres
of rich land will continue to be unoc
cupied and non-productive.
ALFRED BURKHOLDER