Philip weekly review. [volume] (Philip, Stanley County, S.D.) 1907-1912, 1910-01-13
DAKOTA PROSPERS
Robinson Writes OF A Years Progress
In South Dakota
(By Doane Robinson.)

(By Doane Robinson.)
PIERRE, Jan. 11.-South Dako.
ia has come through the best of a
long series of good years, a year
in which her soil produced in crops,
fruits, live stock and minerals more
than 5000, ,OOO,OO year in which
we carried away to markets be-
yond the state borders more than
1925, 100000 worth of products;
a year at the close of which we
find more than $50, 100000 of re-
serve wealth piled up in the vaults
of our banks; wealth that is all our
own, for no one residing without
the state comes here to bank their
money as is the case in all states
containing large commercial cities.
The production of the soil, the
products marketed and the deposits
in the banks are the resources of
but half million people.
Indeed the greatest disappoint-
ment to our people is the fact that
our population does not increase at
a greater rate. 1t is rather surpris-
ing that, with so substantial evil
dences of prosperity extending
over dozen years, with the popu-
lation of America increasing so
rapidly as it is that this region,
with its almost limitless oppertun-
tiles has attracted so relatively
little immigration. Much interest
and curiosity is manifested in the
probable revelations of the census
next summer. We had $4,000 in
1890, 4O1, 900 in 1900, 455,OOO ia
1905, and in the last five years of
great prosperity the most sanguine
do not esti mate the growth above
100000.
One would scarcely dream that a
Jewish law dating back to King
David or earlier would particular
ly affect a South Dakota census in
1910, but it seems that it is des-
tined to do SO. For sociological
study race is much more import
ant than nationality, and it was
particularly desired that a race
census be taken in this state, where
we have very large German
population hailing from a half
dozen countries, as Germany prop
er, Austria, Poland, Switzerland,
Holland and especially Russia.
Of the latter there are about as
many Russian Germans as of those
coming from Germany. In the
time of Peter the Great special op-
portunities were offered to Ger
man farmers to induce them to
settle in the Crimean region to
teach the natives the arts of agri-
culture and thousands availed
themselves of thespecial privileges,
which, among other things, ex-
empted them from military duty.
When the father of the present
car forgot about this exemption
and forced the Germans into the
army great numbers of them i'm
igrated to America, and South Da-
kota became the home of Is, 900 of
them, and with their American
born children, they now number
more than 10000. They lost none
of their German characteristics by
their sojourn in Russia.
We have here likewise Aus
TRANS, Poles and Russians of Slav
stock, Russians of Cossack stock,
and Swiss of Italian lineage, so
that it will be seen that any signi-
fcent study of these foreigners
and their influence upon our affairs
must be by racial rather than by
national classifcations; but when
the bill for the purpose came up
in congress it was strongly oppos-
ed by the Hebrews, who adhere to
the old law, and their influence
was sufficient to defeat it.
A recent bulletin from the state
university is devoted to the high
schools of the state and reveals
some interesting facts. There are
391 persons employed in the force
of instructors. Forty-three schools
employ city superintendents. The
average salary of q superintendent
is 81, $3.50; of the force of instruct
ors, 9712; 252 of these hold college
degrees, 76 others have had train
III lnO in inakiknfionc of h;rhor loorn