The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-05-24

South Dakota tnlS spring diCer al dp-
sence Of from three to five years are
invariably astonished by the tangible
evidences of prosperous advancement
an advancement which it Is practically
impossible to report accurately In any
thing short of fig ures. and these are
never interesting except to expert sta
tisticians.
81 used to think myself pretty well
informed concerning the OF
the state" said a resident Of Water
town, but the country is developing
so fast that I can't keep track Of things
as | did a few years ago. or course,
we all know about the rapid influx OF
new settlers, and the bringing into a
productive state OF hundreds Of thou
sands of acres Of prairie land yearly.
All this. while no doubt surprising TO
visitors, has become an old story to
South Dakota people, and we no longer
gaze open-mouthed at the develop
ments in this direction. What inter-
ests us the most nowadays are the I'M
mistakable signs Of prosperity. 1t IS
only a few years ago that farmers and
ranchmen in this section were content
with their rough fare, and made no
effort to obtain the Injuries or even
the comforts Of life. Their homes
we're mostly shacks, and the sodhouse
was in common use. Live stock had
the most primitive kind Of shelter, and
was generally of a primitive breed, or
no breed at ADJUST cattle. Schools
and churches were scarce, and society
was unknown. In fact. the settlers
didn't act as if they had much conf
dence in the stability Of the land. They
were reaping big crops Of wheat and
raising big herds Of cattle, but they
made no attempt to improve their
homes or their farms, save In a few
are instances.
Land Of Beautiful Homes.
"Look about you to-day and note the
change. Travel all over South Dakota,
and wherever you go you will ind
peace and plenty, a land flowing with
milk and honey II you will permit
me to drop in a Biblical expression.
Shacks and dugouts and s~odhouses
have given place to fine, we'll built
homes. some Of them really artistic in
design, but all comfortable, and in
many instances equipped with such
modern devices as heating furnaces.
bathrooms. running water and gas.
The value of floral ornamentation, the
beauty Of well kept lawns, the benefits
Of stately shade trees, are all appre-
ciated, and we find them wherever we
turn.
Nor Is this all. The farms them
selves are improved. They are, as a
rule, we'll fenced and kept under good
cultivation. Rotation Of crops Is fol-
lowed intelligently and with a very
appreciate result in increased yields.
Spacious barns are abundant and live
stock is we'll housed. Moreover, there
has been a remarkable improvement in
the character Of the stock. Farmers
and ranchmen understand that it costs
no more to raise good cattle than poor,
and the profits are much larger and
surer. It has all had a most healthy
effect. AS one land owner begins i'm
provements of this nature the example
thus given becomes contagious, and a
good natured rivalry sets in.
"I can take you into thousands OF
homes in South Dakota where the girls
ave their pianos and sewing ma
chimes; where you will find lace cur-
tains on the windows. good rugs or
carpets on the floors, pictures on the
walls and we'll stocked bookcases. The
kitchens have modern cooking conven-
fences and washing machines are con-
sidered a necessity. The boys have
their fine horses and first-class buggies
and gold watches. I'm glad Of it.
Things were different when I came
here in 1880. but. I repeat, l am glad to
see the change. 1t is a strong object
lesson on the solid and material pros
perity we are enjoying"
Picture Is a True One.
In no wise is this old settlers sketch
overdrawn. II is a true picture of con-
ditions as they exist in South Dakota
at the present time. I do not wish to
be understood as asserting that it ap-
plies to every farm or ranch-such a
claim would be preposterous applied
universally here, or to any other state
in the Union. Wherever one goes he
will find certain thriftless individuals,
too lazy or incompetent to take advan-
tage Of the nature spreads
before them. But this undesirable class
Is scarce in South Dakota. 1t takes
vim and pluck and energy to win sue
cess in a new country. and the pio-
neers who came here In the years be-
tween 1871 and 1890 had all these quail
tiles. And these same traits predomi-
nate in the men who are to-day extend
ing and improving the work so well
begun by the pioneer. In this may be
found a fair explanation Of the pros
perity which Is sc self-evident. Pluck,
brains and muscle and, above all, a
bulldog confidence In the future of the
state have won a battle for civilization,
and hundreds Of thousands of people
are reaping the rewards.
It Is almost incredible. but an his