Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-01-21
Letter from Kansas.

Brown, to the effect, that, having spent
nearly a wholc month in seeing the West
Kansas included, he concludes that the
discomforts Of Kansas life more than over
balance the business prospects, so far as
stock raising is concerned, intimating that
this was The only profitable business. Al
so that all the professions, and branches
of business are over-stocked, that "lquor
shops and billiard saloons abound in every
small village" That "what will buy a
good farm in Maine, will not procure
comfortable house and garden-spot in the
Kansas villages, ,"-he consequently con-
cludes, that it is no place for poor men
with families to emigrate to-
Now. Mr.. Editor, having been aresident
Of the State of Kansas for over twelve
years, and having seen hundreds OF poor
men from the East who have, within that
time. located upon the cheap lands of
Kansas, who are now comfortably cir
cumstanced and independent. two Of
whom. Chas. L. and J. w. Hubbard, of
your own County, being among our best
and most respected citizens, bear me wit.
ness that the statements of Mr.. Brown
are entirely erroneous, without founda-
! ton in fact, and calculated to disappoint
aud mislead those who are earnestly seek
ing after the truth, and hoping to secure
homes and cheap lands in "thc West"
/ presume the facts as regards Mr.
Brown, are these: He probably came TO
st. Joseph. Mo-, thence to Atchson or
Lcavenworth, in Kansas thence up the
/ Kansas Pacific X. r.. via Lawrence, and
Topeka, stopping at those places to in
quire the price of lots and residences. and
then returned by the same route. backing
out OF the State. and returning home, no
doubt rery anxious to see his interesting
| family. If so "shrewd an observer Of men
and things" is so fortunate rs TO be y
husband and PARENT
II | should have the pleasure OF visiting
the Pine Tree State" travelling by eth
cr Of the routes from Boston 10 Portland,
and should stop at Biddeiord, Saco. and
Portland TO inquire the price Of lots and
stone fronts, and after returning, 20 pub.
lish in some enterpri,ng Kansas paper
that il would take whole Township in
Kansas to buy 4 village lot and dwelling
in the State OF Maine my statement would
he rs truthful and consistent, rs that OF
our cntcrprising friend Brown.
In almost every branch of business, the
constant demand is for more men. and
more capital to prosecute new enterprises
which by the rapid growth of this, and
other Western States, are constantly
springing up.
The following is brief Of the liquor
law OF this State, which, from its work
ings. we can cordially recommend to the
consideration of other and older States.
Before license can be granted, petit
tion signed by a majority of all persons
in the township over twenty-one years OF
age. male and female white and black,
must be procured asking that such Ii
cense may be granted. 1t is then left
optional with the County Commissioners,
| TO grant such license, under the restric-
tions of the State law, at a yearly sum OF
not less than 500, or more than $500.
So well has this law operated and been
enforced, that in three out OF every five
Counties in the State. not drop OF liquor
is sold openly, while three years ago (be-
fore the passage Of this law) no organic
ed County but was cursed with one or
more dram shops. The law does not ap-
ply to cities, rs their corporation laws
control the traffic in theirown way. Thus
species Of "womans Suffrage prevails
here and It's workings are admirable.
Good farms, with comfortable houses
and improvements, can be bought in near
ly all parts of the State, at from eight to
twenty dollars per acre, while good prai-
ric land, are freely offered, at from three
to six dollars per acre; and Judging the
future of this State, by the past OF other
Western States, the same lands will bring
within ten years. from twenty-five TO for
ty dollars per acre.
Our farmers the past season have aver
aged from fifty to eighty bushels of corn,
and from eighteen to thirty-seven bushels
of Spring and Fall wheat per acre, and
our travelled friend Brown could have
learned from the Agricultural Reports for
four years past Gf he would take the pains
to look) that on nearly all grains, includ-
ing corn, wheat, oats, barley, and hay,
that the average per acre, has been great
er than that of any other State in the
Union. That Kansas received the gold
medal last Fall ut Philadelphia, Is fruit
growing State, in direct competition With
all the other States. Also, from other
sources, that Bayard Taylor, the lament
ed Richardson. Horace Grccly and Others
have visited historic Kansas, and nave
ever recommended this State rs preeml-
ncntly the place for poor and landless Ia
borers of the East and Europe.
Believing that you, Mr.. Editor, would
not willingly aid, by tho circulation of
your paper, peversion of facts, send
YOU this corroborated statement for pub
lcation, that both sections of our country
may be fairly represented to those who