Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1907-06-27

for there the empire builders are in
full sway. and every day sees the ad.
dition Of some hundreds, IL not thou
sands, to their numbers. 1t is the
same spirit of westward no" of
which Charles Kingsley wrote so
dramatically that actuates these adj
vancing thousands into South Dakota,
except that the empire builder Of to-
day seeks fortune not at the point OF
the sword, but at the point of the
plowshare. His aim is the subsection
OF the land and the establishment OF
home.
Time was when the mention OF
South Dakota was associated with
savage bands of Indians, countless
herds Of buffalo and billiards. of
frightful severity. These mistaken
ideas of the state obtained control of
peoples minds long after they were
proved baseless. They have long
since been relegated to the realm of
fable and SANDER, until now the ac-
tual truths about this glorious state
are acknowledged {. country over,
and men of the Last and of the
South and of the Middle West are
selling out their high-priced lands and
fiocking into the land of sunshine.
Boom Element Is Lacking.
There is nothing Of the "boom" ele-
ment about this great trend of popula-
ton. 1t Is not wild, indiscriminate
rush, such as characterized the be-
ginning Of SO many other western Sec
tons. The men going into South Da-
kota to-day, with but rare exceptions,
have investigated conditions thorough
ly before they decided upon change.
They are satisfied that 1t is land Of
fortune for any man capable OF and
willing to do hard work. Hence. they
are bringing their wives and children
into this virgin country, which in a
few years they will make to blossom
as the rose. There must be good
reason for this severance Of old ties.
What are they? What are the infiu-
ences that have caused you to make
this change? Is a question that l have
put to a score or more of men in the
past few weeks. | put 1t to a man
from Indiana, who with a wife and
six children | met on train few
weeks ago. His answer Is fairly typi-
cal of that Of the others. He said:
First of all, it is the desire to get
more land You may say that could
have done that in Indiana. But In.
diana land is high priced, and, while
could make a comfortable living for
my family there, could not save the
money to buy more land. Yet for the
price that / received for each acre
| OF my Indiana land I have been ena
| bled to buy ave acres OF land In
| South Dakota. Is it as good land as
| l had In Indiana? It's better. 1t will
grow bigger crops, and in Ave years
| time 1t will be worth twice or three
| times as much as it cost me. The re
| suit will be that I will have something
| to leave my children that will assure
| their future independence. In the
| meantime the educational advantages
that they will be enabled to enjoy II
| the state will be fully equal-aye, bet
| ter-than those in Indiana. And witt
| five times as much land of my own
will be able to make more money ant
afford for myself and family certain
luxuries that have hitherto been be
yond my means"
Amazing, Vet Truthful, Conditions.
The story OF South Dakota's pros
perity has been often told, but Their
are certain facts about 1t that are 81
amazing. not to say phenomenal, tina
they are well worth while retelline
Take the states finances first, be
cause they furnish the most ready In
| dex to what is called prosperity. TIL
| population of the state is approximate
Nv half a million, and, according to tn
latest statistics, S2,5S7 of the peopl
were farmers. Yet there are on dt
post In the banks of the state owe
| s45 900 900. while the real valuation
of the state is over 81 900, 100000. ,
/ 1t was not so many years ago tina
the farmers of South Dakota were i
the power Of the Eastern money lent
ers. To-day there are very few do
lars. Ii any. of Eastern money loane
ia the state. The farmers are thel
own bankers now All over the stat
| little banks have started up, and tn
farmers own the banks. II new Sc
tiers need to borrow, these banks PR
vide the necessary funds at low rate
OF interest. The day of 10 and IL pc
cent money has passed forever ]
| South Dakota.
The state has not a dollar OF II
| debtedness. It's taxes are limited .
law to two mills on the hundred.
has the most magnificent school fun
az any state In the Union. II hf
set aside 100000 acres OF land 4
| this purpose, not one acre OF whif
! can be sold for less than $40. so I;
only $1,000 900 acres have been sol
and these have averaged $lS an acf
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