Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1907-06-27

iiuSt> NlSlL SOutn dakota tneSe days,
for there the empire builders are in
full sway, and every day sees the ad-
dition of some hundreds, If not thou
sands, to their numbers. It is the
same spirit Of westward ho' of
which Charles Kingsley wrote so
dramatically that actuates these ad-
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
a 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 tie country over,
and men of the East and OF the
South and Of the Middle West are
selling out their high-priced lands and
tlockng 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
lions. The men going into South Da-
kota to-day, with but rare exceptions,
have investigated conditions thorough
ly before they decided upon a change
They are satisfied that it is a 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 III a
few years they will make to blossom
as the rose. There must be a good
| reason for this severance Of old ties.
What are they? What are the infu-
eDces that have caused you to make
this change? is question that l have
put to score or more of men in the
past few weeks. put it to man
from Indiana, who with a wife and
six children I met on a train a 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 comfortable living for
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 five acres of land In
South Dakota. Is it as good land as
had in Indiana? It's better 1t Will
time it will be worth twice or three
times as much as it cost me. The re-
suit will be that 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 in
the state will be fully equal-aye, bet
ter-than those in Indiana. And with
five times as much land of ny own
will be able to make more money and
afford for myself and family certain
Injuries that have hitherto been be-
yond my means
Amazing, Yet Truthful, Conditions.
The story of South Dakota's pros
perity has been often told, but there
are certain facts about it that are SO
amazing, not to say phenomenal, that
they are well worth while retelling
Take the states finances first, be-
cause they furnish the most ready in
dex to what is called prosperity The
population of the state is approximate
ly half million, and, according to the
latest statistics. S2,5S7 of the people
were farmers Yet there are on de-
post in the banks of the state over
S45, 100000, while the real valuation
Of the state is over 1000, 100000
1t was not so many years ago that
the farmers Of South Dakota were III
the power of the Eastern money lend
ers. To-day there are very few dol
lars, If any of Eastern money loaned
in the state. The farmers are their
own bankers now. Ali over the state
little banks have started up, and the
farmers own the banks. If new set
tiers need to borrow, these banks pro-
vide the necessary funds at low rates
Of interest The day Of 10 and - per
cent money has passed forever in
South Dakota.
The state has not a dollar of In
debtedness. It's taxes are limited by
law to two mills on the hundred. It
has the most magnificent school fund
of any state in the Union. 1t has
set aside 100000 acres Of land for
this purposesSnot one acre Of which
can be sold for less than $40. So far
only 27,O0O,O0O acres have been sold,
and these have averaged S18 an acre.
THE FIRE MARSHAL LAW.
4. TIT - {t.> Rro