The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-02-16

to couple of slight errors
committed by the printer or myself, in
my former article to wit: In the sec
ond paragraph, the original reads, sis
whereas, the composition
makes me say, affected" Also, in the
fourth, the printer has it "estate'' finan-
ces, where haye it s'astute'' finances.
The extreme breyity OF tine allow
ed for tha discussion of the subject,
renders it impossible to do more than
state a few facts upon each point.
Firstly, l would remark that during
the late war it was deemed necessary
to largely initiate our currency, in con-
sequence of which everything arose
in price, and apparently in value, to
an unwonted, unnatural, and conse-
unwholesome extent. Nomi-
nal values were not the real ones.
Prices were simply fictitious, and cal
culated to mislead the Hnwary, and
augment the ability of the capitalist.
the large Spectator and the caIeula-
ting and shrewd trickster to take adj
vantage OF the Industrious and honest
producer. We have no quarrel with
the honest banker, merchant, attorney.
&C., and will have none.
We esteem them all as necessary ele-
ments of an enlightened and prosper
Gus community. We producers, the
''bone and sinew" of the country, only
desire to eat with them at the ssfirst
table," Narrow and blind is the soul
that would strive to array the city
against the country, or the reverse.
What is the permanent interest of one.
is that of both. But I am dizressine.
Coming to the point again, 1 would
remark that, in consequence of the
Imitation of prices, we all imagined
ourselves comparatively wealthy, be-
cause we had our pockets full of
''promises to pay" and the war being
at an end, thousands returned home
to find their former positions in busi-
ness occupied by others; new fields
must be employed and occupied. Ma
ny and various We're the enterprises
engaged inland prominent among these
was that of constructing railroads.
We all caught the spirit of speculation
TO greater or less extent, and now
are gathering the fruits of it, and we
who "sowed to the winds'' are now
"reaping the whirlwind."
Roads were built north and soutb
east and west, "hither and yon.~
Every city OF few hundred inhabit-
ants, and many 'spaper towns'' must
have its road to bring. in population.
These roads being built at such
time, and almost entirely on credit at
an exorbitant rate of interest, cost inn
mensely more than they are worth to-
lay, or were even then. There not
being, in many instances. 1.-THE of
the business necessary to enable these
roads to pay their liabilities at rBtes
charged in the east where business is
abundant, they were driven by the
hrst law of nature, representation,
TO charge enormous rates. And be-
cause there was not business enough
to sustain one road, the Speculation
comes along and tells the people that
these rates are outrageous! they are
ruinous!! I'll tell you what you
must do to bring rates within the
bounds of reason, you must build an
other road. And in like manner.
seeing that business that would not
sustain one road at low tariff on
freights, would much less sustain two.
and, as matter of course, under the
operation of the same natural law
above referred to, instead of COMPETE
ton and low rates, which we so conf
1ently expected, we now have combi-
nation and higher rates. Now, Mr..
Spectator comes along again and tells
rs This Is horriblei Medium paupe
roads in the east, do business at much
less rates and make a fair profit.
Afford our roads the amount of BUSH
ness those eastern roads have. and see
f you don't have low rates Also" But
'aid eastern speculator, who holds first
mortgage on nearly all our railroads,
large proportion of our farms, and
We might almost say on our bodies, as
we'll, for it lies upon our future labor
Tor some 2i years, at least, cries out to
all the people, "We have found itr'
'We have found it," "Haye found
what ?" "Why, we have found the
narrow gauge, and we have found that
Two roads can combine, but for three,
It is an utter impossibility. We have
found that the cost of construction and
expense of operating the narrow
gauge of three feet is much less than
hat of the medium gauge, feet 8
inches. and that our narrow gauge
will be sufficient, in capacity, to trans
lct all the business of this community
ior many years to come; and that it
IAN transport freights % per cent
cheaper than the present rates, and
'tili make fair profit"
And forthwith scores of orators. TO
| majority of whom cordially accord
IS much candor, honesty and gentility
as we claim for ourselves, are sent out,
some nightly and daily, and they cry
"eureka, eureka and
BY means of their logic, their rhetoric
aud their figures, they endeavor to
the farmer that their labor is
purely dlsinterested love for him that
The construction OF said road weuld be
positive injury, or at least, of but
Inferior and secondary benefit to them
selves, of the city. How magnani-
nousi FARNpR
Allen Creek, Feb. 3, 1877.
[coNTINUED NEXT WEEK.
Pacific coast politicians say
hot a Farniaof vusII eoo- L.