The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-02-09
a FARMERS say.
What lac IhEnIzs AbouG Vo-
SfRG More Bonds.

more railroa Is has been sprung again,
permit me to occupy little space in
your columns. Your reasoning isvery
good, but it only goes from effects to
results and not from causes TO effects
and then to results; or go back and
see what causes our main trouble, and
you will arrive at different results.
You argue that the more railroad bonds
we have the less tax we have to pay.
At least it looks so to me. It reminds
me of the improved stove the mer-
chant was trying to sell to Pat. 1t
woald save half the fuel; then Pat
said he would buy two and save all,
bat finally agreed to take three and
lay by enough fuel te buy his whisky.
How An additional bonded debt ID go-
Ing to pay all our taxes is more than
we can see. a better plan for narrow
gauge, and the only one see is this !:
those whose taxes are under a certain
amount provided their farns are not
already stocked) to stock them, so they
may feed their grain instead of ship
ping it. Talk about cheapening
freight by more taxes. Nearly the
last pig or calf has to go to pay taxes
now, so that the majority of US cannot
get stock enough ahead to feed our
grain. Let US estimate what we are
losing by shipping grain instead of
feeding it. You have shown that a
narrow gauge will save all the taxes
on it bat $4,000. I will show you
that we can beat that $13l $50 by not
having the narrow gagus, or any addi-
tional bonds. Corn fed to 81 pork
makes US 40 cents per bushel, while
corn shipped on your narrow gauge
only briags Us 2218 cents, a gain of
171s cents per bushel in favor of feed
ing. Ny neighbors say they are real
izing so cents feeding to cattle. The
estimate Of the feed raised in Lyon
county for 1875 was nearly 100000
bushels, one half of which, I think,
would be a low estimate, that was
shipped. A loss of 171< cents per
busheI on 100000 bushel would be
$131 $50 in favor of feeding. Put our
our grain into pork or beef and we
need not grumble at freights. Con-
dense our feed to Raeat, and it only
costs US about one cent per bushel to
ship it. Bonds for another railroad I!
Give US rest enough to get stock to
feed grain to and we will soon be a
prosperous county, when, if Kansas
City is the true outlet or market, the
road will come after our produce.
Come down to nature and see whether
the channel makes the stream or the
stream makes the channel. Did this
valley make the Neosho or did the
Neosho make this beautiful valley |?
You Haay dig canal through noun
taIns but you can't very well make q
valley there. Capital will find our
produce, but produce will not find tho
capital; or if it does capitalists get
the profit. Railroads will go where
there is plenty of business to justify
capitalists to invest where it will pay.
Is it any wonder that the country
don't improve when there is a debt of
$24S to every voter in the county, or
one eighth of all We have really belongs
to bond-holders. Is it any wonder
that we don't improve our farms when
We know that for every $4,000, we put
Into house and barn we are taxed
three per cent on the investment, or
500 every year, while the interest on
the investments would amount to $3.50.
a total of $3.50 every year? How ma
ny farmers of Lyon county can afford
this? Is it any wonder that capitalists
dent stop with US, when there is
sign waving over every farm and
like this, $500, 900 IN DEBT
TO BoND-aoLDERs! Is il any wonder
that farmers. get discouraged when
the last pig or calf is gobbled up for
taxes? Is it any wonder that they
get weak and weary while many get
discouraged and give up in despair
when it is work, work, work, year in
and year out and worse off than they
were at the start? Go back through
time. Take the amount the railroad
bonds have already cost us; invest it
1t the tiEae in stock; (any farmer can
make 100 per cent in stock) count it
all up to the present time, and you will
see that We could buy all the railroads
In the county. Every piece of land
would be settled upon and we would
be prosperous people.
Farmers, wake up! Reason, and
iare to think fer yourselves. When
one attempts to buttenhole you, get
with him. Meet him half
way. Shake hands with him, being
careful to notice whether his hands de-
note labor or not. Apply the Quaker's
test TO him by asking him to be seated
to see whether his patches are hid or
not. If you are not satisfied yet apply
she Changers test to him. Ask hin
o lay on his hat and notice whether |
here is any hayseed in his hair. I'll
ne fails to fill the bill in any one OF
'hese, watch him. If he is different
N all, have nothing to do with him |
" at least do not let him blatherskite
zou. In other words, If you want |
o know anything, think TOR yourselves
" ask SEINE labofing man and you will |
come nearer getting the truth and |
your own interest. There is a GER
ain class of leeches in society that do |
nothing, are not satisfied themselves.
nor are they willing for those around
hem to be satisfied. They sit in
heir easy chairs until that becomes |
! burden, when they will ont with
heir magnifying glass, turn it On a
and then swear it Is a noun
ain covered with nuggets of gold, |
yhen the truth of it Ia, it Is only 3
gopher hill covered with grasshopper
gigs. A Nuisance from first to last
farmers, say again beware Of such
nd dare 20 reason and think for your
elves. o. LAMBERT.