Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-03-13

O. d.Att "
National Conference OF Charities ana
Corrections which holds its next seS-
sion In May in Richmond, VA mas
| secured some interesting facts Eela-
tive TO the social conditions In SCUM
Dakota which he will. present at mat
time. The showing is u remarkaple
one for a young state with 50o,ooo
Dopulation. From the records OF the
institutions of the state 1t is ascertain
ed that from Jan. l. 1908, there were
1875 men and 2 women doing time IN
| the state prison at Sioux rails, "a OF
| whom are serving life sentences. A
large majority of the conVicts, now
ever. are short time II -
| shown that in the various county JAMS
| of this state there are 123 men anu
not a single woman serving snort ufhe
sentences, and that there are ~ men
and l woman being held in the Jalia
| awaiting trial. There are Sc boys and
II girls being educated in the state
training school at Plankinton. one OF
| the most significant facts known Is
that of the entire population only lio
men and los women are being cared
| for in the p~oorhouSes n almshouses
in the state. and that a mere bakers
| dozen are receiving public aid in their
homes. These figures do not include
the inmates in the soldiers home. In
the insane hospital at ankton theirs
are ASP men and 255 women. This
makes one insane person for about
every TOO of the population on the
average The usual average is about
one in every $50 or 500. This is an
exceptionally good showing in h in
sane class. A few years ago the state
established a school for feeble mind
ed at Redfeld, and the inmate have
been gradually increasing in number.
At the present time there are 70 boys
and Sc girls receiving treatment in tho
school. The school for blind is located
at Gary. and that institution has 20
boys and Is girls enrolled there who
are blind. This includes. however, Is
pupils from North Dakota. The state
has sent it's blind children to the South
Dakota institution from the beginning.
paying $22 per month for each child.
These children are now being trans
ferred to a blind institution in North
Dakota. the legislature Of which state
has just provided a home for them.
The matter of preparing a new
schedule of reduced freight rates for
that portion OF South Dakota lying
west of the Missouri river was consid-
cred to some extent at the regular
monthly meeting of the state board of
railroad commissioners, held in SiouH
Falls The commissioners finally de-
cided that the board should hold a
special meeting at Fort Pierre on
March II for the express purpose Of
considering the matter. The execu-
tive committee of the State Fedora
ton of Business Mems clubs will meet
with the board at that time and sub
NIT data in support of the demand for
an adjustment and reduction of freight
rates west of the Missouri river. The
commissioners Will hold another spe-
cial meeting at Huron March 13 for
the consideration of rates on milk and
ream One hundred and seventy-fve
business men of Flandreau, together
with Bert j. Francis, president, and
Jesse A. Smith, secretary, of the COM
mercial club of Flandreaus filed with
the board a petition asking that the
Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul Rail-,
way company be required to improve
Its train service on it's southern Min
nesota and Sioux City and Dakota di-
visions. In accordance with a petition
filed asking that the Great Northern
NaA u L. " CSlSlii ASoAA-
road companies be required to con-
.struct a connecting track at Huron, the
commissioners decided to make a de-
mand upon the two railroad companies
for the construction of the desired
connecting track. They will be given
Wenty days from date of service to,
file an answer to the demand, and if it
is refused the railroad commissioners
will call a hearing and lake testimony
in the case.
With the repeal of the caucus law at
the last legislative session, the county
commissioner law is left somewhat in
the air. The old law provided for the
selection of county commissioners by
tn whole county, for nomination in
the general convention. The caucus
law provided for the nominations be-
ing made in the districts in which such
officers were to be selected, but the
commissioners to be elected by the
vote of the whole county repeating the
former provision for their selection.
The repeal of the caucus law, the pro-
visions of which were supposed to be
covered by the primary law, did not
reinstate the old law, nor did the pri-
mary make any provisions for the
nomination of county commissioners.
AS a result, the nominations will no
doubt be made by the voters of the
whole county, instead Of by districts,
as h supreme court has held them
to be county officers, and the secretary
Of state will SO instruct the county
officers in sending out his election in
structions.
Canadian relatives Of Hector Nc
Kinnon DESIRE for family reasons, to
locate him.. They have written the
state historical department to assist
them in the search. The last known
Of him he vas supposed to be ranch
ing somewhere in the Dakotas, but
they know nothing more definite of
his location.
The LeBeau Phoenix prints a report
OF q find of a piece of quartz about the
size of a hens egg. which was brought
In from the country west OF there by
Peter LeBeau. a mixed blood, and has
Zee for a report. The specimen show
ed samples of free gold, and is consid-
cred valuable, but LeBeau refuses to
say where he secured it. Several
years ago, Narcise Narcelle, another
mixed blood living on that reservation,
brought to Pierre several small gold
nuggets which he said he picked UP,
nut refused to tell where.