Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-09-26
Kansas a Fraud.
A LETTER FROM PRACTICAL FARMER
DENOUNCING THE GLOWING PIC
TTTRES nE rCJJn Cu,AnU

OANOONClNd THE GLOWING PIC
TUREs OF THE STATE.
The following letter, published in the
"Courier-JOurnal,' is handed us by re-
turned and Disguised emigrant. He
says it expresses his sentiments. The mat
ter Of emigration from. Virginia has Ger
tainly two sides to it. This is the most
doleful view We have seen Of it. But as it
is well for our young men who contem-
plate going west to look on the darkest
side we Will let the disheartened fellow be
heard.
WICHITA, Kas., July 22nd.-.I am induc-
ed to write TO you that may answer ma
ny letters inquiring about this country,
and take this method to answer all frd14k ~
and truly. In the first place, til. re is a
ring that has advertised His Stale asld
pulled it up III oider to dec i've and SWIM
die all the farmers they can THIS State
is a fraud on grand scale IL is TALL
ure in every particular i'll fai ming. The
farmers have drought. hos WINDS, heavy
hail. grasshtppers and ciliiich GUS. There
is no certainty OF crop u.til You have it
gathered. 1t is Impossible 10 grow tame
grass here for stock. We have just gone
through lna Dire ught Of bout eisiil mon6Is
without ram. IL has rained for Tie past
two or three weeks, but too late. The
grass will burn to day. Wheai is d failure
here. In many places there is not enough
to live on. The people ale siesti; ute and
there is no money. The women are half
clothed and the men balefoOted ON the
streets T!ere has not bean year that a
large portion of the wheat and corn crop
was not lost. I have seen it and know it
to be true. You see the advertisements
are as false as hell. There is not more
than 10 per cent. OF the land worth any
thing. I will admit we have. some good
crops, but they are few. You are made to
believe Kansas is the EldoradO OF the
world. The production is great in rascal
ity, and prostitution is legal here, and the
business men tip their hats to the soiled
doves on the streets. Our hotels are open
to them and they take their places at the
tables as it suits their fancy. Taxes are
very heavy, ana the farmers cannot pay
them and live. There is a class OF rougas
and unprincipled men that rule this cUun-
try, get up scheme and vote bonds, get
them legalized, sell them and skip out. 1t
this country were to lie sold to-day, and
every thing that is in it, it would not pay
their debts. sefta+t.a
I claim to be one of the best, farmers in
Illinois, and have lived and farmed on the
prairie for thirty years and believe L
know what it is. | have taken three years
to test this country and [ advise all men
who think of coming here to stay where
they are. and if they come let them come
and travel with farmers and:see for them
selves, cooking their meals With grass.
corn-stalks and straw, if they can get it,
You have seen farms advertised for sale
as being finely improved. with orchards
hor Thio ic falco ThprQ 10 vonf
one farm in the State as we'll improved as
are the ordinary farms you have
in Kentucky. and when man comes
here and sees he has been bitten he
falls in and trys TO sell out and beat
some one from the East. There is
one other point 1 wish to notice. The
people vote bonds for everything and try
to encourage immigration West to pay the
taxes. The average of wheat the State
over will not be more than five bushels per
acre, and corn the same. Fruit is but a
trial, and it may be supposed to fall
Peaches are sunburnt and are not fit for
use, and some fruit trees will not produce
anything. All the fine fruit we get here
comes from the East. The premium,
awarded to Kansas on apples were on APP
pies grown in the Eastern States, aid were
selected by fruit man from Columbus,
Kansas, whose name can give. ai
All just such frauds have gone to the
press and been scattered all over the coun-
try to induce men to go West, where no
man can ever live comfortably. There is
no State in the Union that has so much
poor land as Kansas. Men come here, look
over the country, and to them 1t seems to
be rich, when 1t is very poor. was raised
near Louisville and know how this coun-
try is. ] have lived here over three years
and wish to deceive no man, as I am a
farmer and feel it my duty to state what !
believe to be facts for the benefit Of the
people. A. W. GRIsMAN.