Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-23

Ex-Secretary Blaine is thus reported in his
speech at Topeka, Kansas, at the state fair
grounds, to an audience Of twenty thousand
people His speech consisted Of rapid review
of the history of Kansas, of the achievements
OF the state. OF Its extraordinary Developments,
and OF its still more extraordinary future. In
twenty-one years of the states existence, fol-
lowing Its stormy and bloody experience as a
territory. 1t had grown to be commonwealth
of 900 900 people. with product this year of,
perhaps, $50 100000. Accustomed as we have
been for century to the nrarvels OF growth Of
America, the Development of Kansas seems to
us mystery and almost a miracle, and. appar-
emily, this growth has only begun. When KAN
sas shall have 100000 people its power to ex-
port will be more than five times as great as
1t is to-day. or your 100000 of acreage
not more than one out Of eight has been cut
with the pillow, and the greater portion of
your vast acreage is such that it needs only to
be tickled with hoe to laugh a crop, and that
which will not laugh the crop out of cereals
Will perhaps produce an even richer result in
the production of beef and of wool. Your
growth In wealth is therefore remarkable in the
valuation tables by which you agree to appor-
ton your taxes. You estimate yourselves to
be worth less than 5000 O00C00. scarcely more
than your annual product with the relation be-
tween principle and income maintained. Kan
sas cannot to-day be reckoned as worth less
than 81 ,OO0, O0O, 000 and yet twenty-eight years
ago she was OF no more value to civilization
than the plains of Tartary.
There are present here to-day large number
OF men VINO have seen this entire growth and
who have largely and honorably contributed to
1t. During the very same PERIOD during even
the twenty -one years of Kansas existence as
state,
THE GROWTH OF THE WHOLE COUNTRY
has been extraordinary. Indeed. within those
twenty one years the people of the United States
have acquired,tyice as much property and
q al hn0
lean continent from tile discovery by Columbus
down to the day when Abraham Lincoln was
elected Presidynt. great change awaits on
the trade amt commerce of Kansas. To-day
you look for your markets and your exchanges
to the east. The day will come and NAV not
be far distant. when you will look to the west.
L can myself remember that honest old Gov.
Ribner. Of Pennsylvania astonished his hear
ers by predicting the day when the valleys of
Pennsylvania would be unable to produce
the coal and iron makers in the mountains,
then considered in large part worthless
and barren. That prediction has long since De-
come history in Pennsylvania. and with these
grand chains of mountains to the west. with
their gold and their silver and iron. aud their
lead and endless abundance of coal, for the ,ie-
yelopment OF all the productive capacities of
these prairies OF Kansas will be taxed beyond
their capacity to furnish the necessities of life
to the millions ofminers that will be employed
in bringing to light the hidden wealth of Colo
RADIO and New Mexico.
The civilization that Cortez left in Mexico
fifty years before white mans foot touched
Plymouth Rock, and century before William
Penn sailed the Delaware, meets you to the
southwest and rises from that distant past to
give name to
YOUR GREAT AGE OF RAILWAYS.
which III turn unit& the people and brings into
closest commercial alliance the descendants of
the Spanish cavalier at Santa Fe and the OF
spring OF the New England Puritans on the
plains of Kansas:
Mr.. Blaine spoke at length of the veterans of
audience.