The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-12-21
HARD TIMES IN KANSAA
The wheat drawers On the Verge or Hank.
rmrtcy-Griss Mills Motlonlesa.

i
them | heard OF hard times. low prices. aud
financial distress. l was shown samples OF
wheat and bins Of whoat, and The price the
grain was bringing IN tho country markets was
given to me in desponding tones. This farmer
sold his wheat for twenty -nine cents per
bu,hel that one for twenty ono cents. another
for eighteen cents. another for thirty-sovon
cents. another. who sold directly nfter harvest.
received forty cents. heard of the prices TINT
many farmers knew. but did not see. recei,ed
for their grain. The average Tor wheat was
a ccnts. l3 cents below the cost OF production.
Vhcs. prices mean bankruptcy.
Tho feeling against the railroads In the
norton Of the Wheat bolt l was in Is exceed
ingly bitter. That the roads do not seein will
ing 10 share the distress Of tho farmers by re-
ducrg the freight charges Is n fact. and 1t Is
Also n fact that hostile legislation Is certain.
The farmers are resolute in their determine.
ton to force the railroads to reduce sporta-
ton charges on grain to Il point that will cor
respond TO Its value. 1t may DO that these
roads can thrive when tue country tributary to
them is ON the verge of bankruptcy; but that Ia
not the opinion Of the Intelligent farmers l
talked with.
ono OF my ne.:hbors. gray-haired man
from Ohio during our talk on the probable out
come OF the low price OF wheat. said " This
Government cares nothing for the people. and
the PEOPLE arc the biggest fools on earth For
instance. look Mt the oppression We have
tamey endured from the Union Pacific Rail
road When came here twelve years ago this
land'-ho stamped his foot on the ground and
indicated 800 acres OF upland with sweeping
arm" was given to mo by the Government for
nothing | brought 50. 500 with me from Ohio.
Ihave worked hard have not lived eNtrava-
CAVITY. | have sold over 10000 bushels OF
wheat raised on this place. II the railroad
had been satisfied wi tn charging ono cent per
ton per milo for hauling my grain 70 market
S pnII them over 5000 have been ieeeed out
$4,000. That sum would pay OF my mortgage
snt h nx r ns"n ana sn said
road is ike a remorseless. evcr-hungry octo:
over tho land 1t has sucked the life out OF
these people Now comes foreclosure OF mort
mortgage their ands,,provded they can find
to pay the freight charges, In few years the
corporate octopus will suck them dry. Again
notion , and they. too. vii be cast out ut inn n
poverished and now set Of mon will rush in
lands. These people have sworn that they vii!
have hostile legislation: but the men elected
roads viii take advantage OF their distress md
poverty" He ceased ia king. looked inoody
i'm s r Sf baznc 70 the
south, and said. as he pointed with out
wnh r Is p gn4sp
spot OF the world"
found resolute determination among ell
duce the wages OF farm leborers and Of harvest
a ts tGRx Msy bn sscb
figuring from his own books. had arrived AT the
same results. score OF farmers told me that
aay would BE- tho outside figures Tor ,haryss!
eighty cents for No, 3 red wheat at chicago. a
price that is not probable in tho near future.
hn hnt u q fha m nor tnnp II
are in much better financial condition than the
lowlying farms are free from mortgage. And.
though the farmers lost money on their wheat,
Tho best corn & Bringing Scents in The in;
labor 10 raise and crib bushel Of corn. it can
pend on the market, instead Of on cattle and
hogs are not making any money
the outlook for bsei. They fear decline In the
ans s ' s Ss%a The They ne, at ss ho os
prices for corn will surely, stimulate the breed
Ing Of hogs, and that the hard times will drive
Sss toa s to "o% S por % dcWnSard
The be;isi Of ost cattle men, Hence they do
Accepting tho local form OF Courteous atten-
ton. visited several poker rooms In tho West.
One poker playing scauaintance told me that
he had supported himself, his brother. and his
paying but that il money money did not become TGp
more plentiful he would no longer be able to do
produces had Injured his business that there
was no money in any game he playnd in. As
he expressed it, we are playing for the anto;
w Al ting merchants doing business in the
Of the so vr St OF coiectons. They Appeared
to be discouraged and in many cases alarmed.
they OF ns ss R" hs ID the
Wheat Belt had colapsed that flush times
s. b neF aI haH nd isy SSd
And leave the country. | asked I theysue
the farmers for the money owing them. They
do so. as the farmers had T,ortgagcd most Of
their chattels. and that their real estate WAS
Il was astonslisl ii tho, large number OF
i farmers who were openly advocating the adop-
lei They argue me t.at a. a, the Wheat Bet is not
ee6n ln n m"nutae.ur!nG anl Ms they soil
trol!ei by Liverpool pricss, they shon id be fur
nished with, goods at the, Liverpool prices.
they arc to continue the competition with
re noysrty stricken reopies Of India Some
no outlook Of tho future. have thought qvrr
The situation until they have some idras
free trade and GCreenbackisin have many more
was worth s. per bnshol. All the men nj / talked
with were the stnneh friends Of silver.
feeling against tho miiers. The low price OF
whcat has made tho business OF grinding grain
for toll Improbable. Tho farmers bitterly
complain that most OF the millers refuses to
grind for toll that they insist on exchanging
hour for wheat at predatory rates. They also
Rssert that the miers have estab shed n
higher grade FOR milling wheats than the Kan
Bas City or Chicago markets insist on that the
miler's grade Of No. soft red whent is the
yery, pick Of tho No, 2 wheat, and at least ono
grade higher than Kansas CITY or Chicago in
specton. On the other hand. the mllers as.
Bert that tho Rrists tho farmers brought t. tho
mills varied so greatly in quality and condition
That they could not afford TO grind on toll
wheats. but had to ship all they received, They
freely acknowledged that they intended to
mills. and to exchange -four for high grade
wheats only: and that thoy did not propose 10
longer grind 27-cent wheat on toll.
In tho country whore poor but enterprisinG