PART I. SOUTH DAKOTA GEOGRAPHY

AND HISTORY

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

South Dakota. "A Republic of Friends." The name Dakota is derived from the Indian word "Koda" or

"Kola," which means "friend." Dakota, in the language of the Indians who call themselves by that name,* means,

There were seven allied tribes who called themselves by this name. The term "Sioux" is also applied to them and to many other Indians, but its meaning is exactly opposite. The early French explorers asked the Chippewas what Indians lived west of them and they replied "Naduwessl,' meaning "the enemy." The French wrote the word down as the name of the Indians and spelled the plural of it "Naduwessioux." This word became abbreviated to "Sioux. The Dakotas do not like to be called Sioux, and no wonder they prefer their own splendid name.

in a general way, an alliance, league, or republic of friends. What a splendid name for a commonwealth! May every boy and girl in our schools say, "I belong to Dakota, a republic of friends."

Under God the People Rule. This is the motto of the state of South Dakota. It appears on the great seal of the state (for the uses of the seal see Chapter VII). We · all recognize that there is a Power in the world which is

PLURIBUS

Fig. 3. United States Seal.

mightier than that of man. The people should regulate all public affairs as in the presence of God. In former times governments were not carried on by the people or for the people. Even in our own country today, laws are often passed to protect some private interest instead of for the public good. Our state motto should ever inspire us to make our government more free from the control of selfish interests and more consecrated to the good of all.

Seal of the United States. On July 4, 1776, immediately after the Declaration of Independence was adopted, John Hancock, president of the congress, arose

and said: "We are now a nation, and I appoint Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson a committee to prepare a device for a Great Seal of the United States of America." It was not until 1782, however, that the present seal was adopted.

It consists of the American bald eagle within a circle. In his beak is a scroll bearing the motto "E Pluribus Unum," meaning "Out of Many, One," and signifying "One Republic inade out of Many Republics.'' On the breast of the eagle is a shield made up of a blue band above, with thirteen stripes below, seven red and six white. The band represents the federal government which binds together the states. The right talon is grasping an olive branch symbolizing Peace, and the left holds thirteen arrows, symbolizing War. Over the head of the eagle is a "breaking through a cloud," revealing a constellation of thirteen states. The shield is borne on the breast of the American Eagle, without any other support, to denote that the United States of America ought to rely on their own virtues." A reverse side was also provided for but it has never been used.

The Sunshine State. South Dakota is very appropriately called "The Sunshine State." The percentage of sunshine is very high. According to the United States Weather Bureau, it is among the highest of the agricultural states. This is of untold value in conserving the health, in hastening the growth of crops during the summer and in many other ways.

Health. "To health and wealth the open door." According to the United States Census Bureau, South Dakota has had for years the lowest death rate of the states of the Union that have an accepted system of preserving health statistics.

A few statistics from the Census Bureau may be interesting. The total number of deaths, for every 1,000 persons, is given as follows: South Dakota, 8.8 in 1906; 9.8 in 1907; 10.1 in 1908. United States, 16.1 in 1906; 16.4 in 1907; 15.3 in 1908.

For a series of years the average of the United States was 16.3; England, 16; France, 19.6; Germany, 19.9; Italy, 21.9; Austria, 24.2. The death rate for South Dakota is not only the lowest in the United States but the lowest in the world, the nearest being New Zealand, 9.9 deaths per thousand of population. One should be care

ful, however, in drawing conclusions as to healthfulness from the death rate. The state having the highest death rate in this country is often California, but this is largely due to the great numbers of sick people who go there for their health.

The healthfulness of the state is accounted for in various ways. The purity and dryness of the air has much to do with it; the sunshine has a great value as a disease destroyer; the fact that the people, as a rule, are well to do and have an abundance of the best of food, comfortable shelter and means for travel, rest and physicians' services must be remembered; the purity of the drinking water, particularly the artesian water, is greatly emphasized by scientists as one of the causes, because the germs of typhoid, malaria, or other diseases are never found in our artesian water.

Wealth. For many years statistics have shown that there was more wealth owned and produced in South Dakota, in proportion to population, than in any other state. When we consider that there are millions of acres of rich farming land in this state and enough food products are raised each year to feed the entire population of Illinois, but that we have only about one-fourth of the population of one of her cities, Chicago, we then can appreciate why we have so large a production according to population. To this must be added the fact that South Dakota ranks fourth in the production of gold; one mine, the famous Homestake mine at Lead, produces nearly one-twelfth of all the gold mined in the United States each year.

With an average of over four hundred acres of land for every family in the state, having ability to support in comfort several times the present population, South Dakota certainly deserves the title, "Land of Plenty." The boys and girls of this favored state have a splendid heri

"While wasting snowdrifts, lingering, enshroud, You, smiling, cheer the chill, despondent field; Unerringly to prophesy the proud

And gorgeous beauties that the summers yield.

"So, South Dakota, be it thine to lead;

Thy smile to light affliction's dreary time, While o'er the drifts you scatter wisdom's seed, And harvest glory in the season's prime."

-Doane Robinson.