The Bad River news. [volume] (Philip, Stanley County, S.D.) 19??-1912, 1909-04-29
Another Stanley County Problem

river that should challenge the at
tcntlon OF most of us, because it is
possibly more vitally and absorb.
lngIy important than any of tn,
social problems we have beer
writing of lately. 1t can be
stated IN a few words. 1t is the
problem of producing as much
wealth as we consume. 1t means
the establishment of balance OF
trade. If yon please to consider it
III thai IlGh,, whereby we NAV be
able to pr rduce and cxlor. rs
much wealth as we import and
consume. This is the uroblru
ihal Is facing Us with terrible
grmness to-day. II is the p.ob-
lem towards which we are direct
ING all our plans and energies. All
our dry farming. all our alfalfa
growing, and our uairying is
directed toward that end-the pro-
duction OF as much wealth as we
consume.
There was a time. in the old
cattlC days, when, considering
Stanley county from the stand
point of it's population, it was one
of the largest wealth producing
communities on the face of the
globe. Each year thousands of tat
cattle were shipped out of the Bad
River Valley and from along the
Cheyenne and White rivers into
the hungry markets of the east.
There were few people in the
country and, by reason of the
peculiar economic conditions then
existing, they were able to pro-
duce an enormous per capita
wealth. The balance of trade was
overwhelmingly in favor of the
cattlemen. Great herds were
shipped out, for which the east
sent back only small amount of
clothing, food-stuffs, and other
articles such as were necessary to
supply the simple wants of a
pioneer people. The rest came
back as shining gold.
Naturally it was day of easy
money and the evils attendant on
such days. One part of the popu-
lation took advantage of the strong
tide in their favor and became
prosperous. Others lived free
and easy life, charmed by the
whirring of the roulette wheel and
other exciting adventures usually
attendant upon that highly pleas
ing occupation of spending money
like water. This last mentioned
class helped to keep the surplus
money Ct the conutry circulating
and gradually circulated bit of it
over the border, thereby keeping
the balance of trade from assum-
ing alarming proportions.
But that day is gone, and an
other and different day is here in
it's stead. With the end of the
cattle business and the invasion of
the homesteader the balance of
trade turned against the country
west OF the river. 1t was neces-
sary to have millions of feet of
lumber, carloads Of flour and other
breadstulfs, thousands of dollars
worth of groceries, and tons of
hardware to supply the wants of
the new population. Trainloads
of these supplies were shipped in
to the country, but so far hardly
anything has been shipped out.
At the present time we are
shipping into Stanley county over
five million dollars worth of goods.
wares, and merchandise, every
twelve months. Our exports will
barely reach one hundred thous-
and dollars. There you have a
situation that is almost staggering.
especially when you stop to con-
slider that this has been going on
for over five years.
Most of the money we spend
comes in from the east to our
population. Some of it is brought
when the settlers come. some of it
is sent to them after they are
here. We still ship out q few