Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-10-16
Democratic %o//u
Orators Compare Eee7 2lA
C,aw>oyos auaS Seem Sorry Over Our Splendid
Prosperity
|oSVerWy.

The writer rode into the territory
of Dakota in 1869 in an old fashioned
stage coach With no sign of a coming
railroad on the border from the
mouth Of the Big Sioux to the British
possessions on the Red River of the
north.
There were something over 4,OO(
people in the territory in 1870. There
is now about GCO,oC0 people in this
state alone.
We have grown some. From 1871
TO 1880 the population increased 8
little year by year and the grasShOp
pers held US down to poverty.
In 1888 came the first big rush o.
settlers and during that period the
country from Mitchell to Aberdeen
was settled up and the actual de
velopment of the country east of the
Missouri began.
In 1889 division came and with it
statehood and all its sponsibilities
The first session OF the legislature
was held in the fall of that year and
the work of organization began.
Nearly all the Institutions in the
state now were in operation then and
had to be provided for and the ma
chinery of new commonwealth was
set in motion.
Nobody kicked then.
Everybody was anxious for popula-
tiOn.
Land was dirt cheap and half of
the east side of the state was govern
ment domain waiting hOmesteaderS.
The settlers then in the state were
busy with their own affairs and work
ing hard to make home. In the
old settled counties in the south
eastern corner of the state the people
were in fairly prosperous condition
and happy over the increasing price
of land which was worth about $40 an
acre then, and the balance ranged
from SIS to SO an acre.
In 1892 Grover Cleveland was
elected president and most of us re-
member those democratic times,
when right here in Lincoln county
ness stagnation through democratic
tariff. Tire great battle Of 1896 was
fought with Mckinley and Bryan as
national leaders. Bryan'S ''crown Of
thorns and cross of gold" seemed like
a new hope to the west where misery
was rampant and better conditions
prayed for. Anything for change |
seemed good
Mckinley won and the country has
eyer since as no country
ever prospered.
With the return Of good times and
prices this state came to the
front rapidly and her population in
creased by thousands.
The price of our farm lands began
to grow and school houses multiplied
and colleges. were opened and the
state schools began to ask for more
room and everything doubled under
the inspiration of sound republican !!
policies and prosperity.
The gentlemen who are Grating
over the state about big appropria-
tions for state institutions under
Crawford forget, perhaps, that An
drew e. Lee was the leading lobbiest
at Pierre in 1895 seeking big appro
priation for the University at Yer
There are two propositions the vOt-
ers of this state must face as intelli-
gent, progressive people. Our state
institutions Of learning must either
be supported and improved or some of
them closed up, and while the state
tax is only mills we do not believe
there is man in the state, be his
politics what they may, who will say
shut up half Of your normal schools,
close the school of mines, retrench
and say to the world we want to go
backward and rip up half of the
broad avenues of education in state
that produces more wealth per capita
than any state in the Union.
Democratic opposition to republi-
can progress would be the same under
Bryan and solid south as it was un-
Ter Cleveland and a solid south, and
lobody, not even a democrat, wants
| second dose of hard times. The
democratic opposition to appropria-
ions under Crawford is only miser-
.ble campaign calamity howl. If our
democratic brothers were to be
placed in power at Pierre next win
,er, would they starve out the public
Institutions and nail up the doors? I
such policy could only come from
Misery and hatred of progress and
-.
During the past eight years no
tate in the Union has prospered and
developed as South Dakota. The ;
,rices of our lands have doubled; our s
chool facilities have more than l
our county expenses for To- {
al improvements have doubled and S
We can't avoid tive are growing
zig, strong and healthy. Who would
top such glorious conditions? Who ]
S coward enough to say he would (