Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-05-01

prior to the first year that Purcell
says the farmers in North Dakota
made any money And the evidence
would seem to be in favor of the
accuracy of the report of the COM
missioner, for the wonderful growth
and development of North Dakota
beginning at the end of the demo-
cratic panic and hard times of the
nineties-is abundant proof that the
farmers of North Dakota did make
some money, and lay the foundation
for the remarkable growth of the
state in the decade from 1900 to
1910.
So this statement of Senator Pur-
cell would seem to be highly exag-
gerated, to put the case mildly But
let us go on into the speech. Let
us quote from a colloquy between
Senator Purcell and Senator Hey
burn, that was an incident of the
maiden speech:
Mr. HEPBURN: Did | understand
the senator correctly to say that not
withstanding this the farmers of his
state are prosperous at this time?
Mr.. PURCELL: No, sir; l said
that our people made no money prior
to 1907.
Mr.. HEPBURN: Are they making
money now?
Mr.. PURCELLL: I will say to the
senator that in 1904 we had no crop
at all in our country.
Mr.. HEPBURN: How is it this
year? Are the farmers prosperous?
Mr.. PURCELL: Last year, | am
free to say. the farmers made some
money.
Mr.. HEPBURN: How is it this
year?
Mr.. PURCELL: AS to this year,
Of course, we are just sowing the
crop now.
Mr.. HEPBURN: Is there any con-
dition of hard times or depression
in North Dakota at present among
the farmers?
Mr.. PURCELL: l do not know
that I could answer that question
except as to my own locality. OF
course. in the western part of the
state, where it is newly settled,
there have been much more hard
times and some people have been
suffering.
Mr.. HEPBURN: Generally speak,
ing, are not the conditions in the
state of North Dakota rather excep-
prosperous at this time?
Mr.. PURCELL: In the older coun-
ties the condition is reasonably pros
porous. Does the senator attribute
that to the tariff law?
Mr.. HEPBURN: I was not going
to give reason for it. I merely
desired to know what the condition
was.
Mr.. PURCELL: Mr.. President,
have been brought about
~ being fortunate enough to locate
n a locality that possesses a soil I'M
,qualed by any in any other part of
he country, by being able to- have
'ood health, and forcing into service
very member of the family ffrom
arly morning until late at night,
nd working and saving. That has
rought about prosperity among the
,ermans and the Scandinavians in
hat country
Mr.. LA FOLLETEE: And frugal
wing.
Mr.. PURCELL: Yes, and frugal
wing, as is suggested, and the rain
nd sunshine that have fallen down
t the proper time and in proper
on those crops sent by
mighty God, and these blessings
re not the result of any tariff leg ,
latfOn.
Mr.. HEPBURN: That, I trust, is .
OF a new condition in North Da-.I
ota. The sun has been shining and
1e soil has been good
Mr.. PURCELL: Yes, but the con-.
itions have not always been the
ame. The climatic conditions have
OF been the same every year in any :
'cality. ,
Mr.. HEPBURN: The average is
bout the same.
Mr.. PURCELL: Some years have
cen all right. and other years have
cen against the crops: but we have.
'rtunately, had from 1907 very good
rops, and our people have made
lOney. In 1904 there was no crop
hatever; but that was not confined ,
} North Dakota alone: it applied
} the northwest generally.
Now we shall be forced to take up
nd analyze more of this remarkable
maiden speech" Senator Purcell
lakes the fiat statement that in
904 we had no crop at all in this
tate. That might be excused as a
lip of the tongue, but we find it re-
Gated along toward the end of the
olloquy. Now We shall be CON-
elled to- go back again to the sta
istics reported in an official docu-
lent Of the state-the report of the
of agriculture and la
or for the years 1905 and 1906,
'hich contain reports of the crop
reduced in 1904. And we find this
eport of produced wealth in the