Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-07-02

high. q lasting and an Ideal civilization you
have missed the great purpose which Goo In
his Infinite wisdom laid ont for you In the Gre
alton of these fertile prairies before The De-
CHING OF time.
More than the development OF the country
and its resources you must have done; more
than this you have done.
You have developed here a great citizenship
of true, upright, sober. Industrious. God fear
ing men and women which shall stamp It's H.
fuence upon future generations for the good OF
] this community and Of the state. You nave
buiIded well and fortified strongly with those
things which make people rich in heart; those
things which do not perish and fade way but
leave to posterity a rich inheritance or those
noble qualities which make n nation great
and without which true progress cannot be
made.
1t IS this high type OF citizenship founded on
moral integrity and fortified by righteous Nv
ing which will constitute the real monument 10
your memory.
1t is o homogeneous citizenship made up OF
the best representatives OF oil OF the STATES
and al OF the nations OF Europe.
Here the fair haired sons and daughters OF
the Northland have mingled with the descend
ants OF the Angles and the Ssxons. the Celts
and the Gauls, the Picts and the Scots. form,
ing q cosmopolitan people the peer or any
on the globe. Nor could 1t be otherwise
for 1t is the ambitious, the daring and those OF
strong purpose who have been the pioneers OF
| this western country.
am q firm believer In the high ideals and
! good purposes. | believe every man should
have q purpose In life and he owes 1t to him
SELF and to the community that that purpose
be d good one.
Education is the most potent force IN the
| elevation OF citizenship.
Nature IS very erratic In the bestowa! OF her
| gifts and all do not receive them in the same
| measure. but q liberal education does much to
| wipe out these inequalities and place every
| man on q level with his Regard
less OF his station he will make q better cltl'
zen II possessed OF 0 good education ana l
want to say to the boys and girls present. get
a good education along general lines. then
specialize along such special lines as will best
Mt YOU for the vocation in life which you ex-
pect to pursue.
Congress recognizing the value Of education
in the enabling act of 80, reserved vast tracts
Of land for the benefit OF the educational In
stitutions OF the state. but the grand prize, the
most munihcent gift OF all was the setting
apart of sections sixteen and thirty-six for the
maintenance OF our public schools.
me SLALe HUXlOuS 10 UcRiu tuc
OF a permanent fund began all too soon to sell
the land at prices, then high, but which now
appear ridiculously low. More conservative
now. they are selling less land and getting
much better prices.
A fund OF nearly five million dollars has al.
ready been received and the interest is being
applied to fhe maintenance OF the public
schools. 1t Is estimated that this fund will
eventually reach fifty millions OF dollars the
interest from which will practically support
the rural schools.
A wonderful educational wave Is taking
place, especially in the country precincts
where every boy and girl are striving to com
plete the common school course and many OF
them the high school and college courses.
The attendance In the high schools and col
leges is annually on the increase and this great
wave is the most potent force for good in the
glimmering dawn Of this new century.
Am an oplimist and can see q great future
for our country rs the agricultural classes
come more and more to the front to take their
natural place In shaping the destintes OF the
nation. when private interests" shall be rele
gated to the rear and the stslwart manhood Of
the country shall assert itself and not only de-
mand but receive the consideration that right
fully belongs to 1t.
II FuTbt pOpuI0LlOA 10 II VI II
nation. They may advance more slowly, but
strong In mental vtgor and robust In physical
development, they advance more surely.
The seed sown by the Old Settlers has
brought forth fruit . hundred fold and gener-
atoms yet unborn will be enriched and enobled
by the lives and sturdy characters OF the pio-
neers.
The associations and friendships Of the Old
Settlers we're the friendships made early In
lie when all were young and stood upon the
same level and the bonds of union and cords OF
love grow tighter and closer rs time goes on,
Then let the Old Settlers association grow
and expand until we are all drawn together by
the closest ties OF friendship and brotherly
love; let it's association cast a ray of content.
ment anu happiness on the horizon of the set
Ing tide Of the evening OF life and may the cour
age and sterling qualities of the early settler
be an inspiration to the younger generation,
squirting them on to noble deeds and to living
such lives as shall tend to the moral uplift of
mankind.