Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-08


books of heaven
Thus these two bankers played their part
IN this world of vanity;
One rests secure in heaven above, the otner
IN Canada.
KANSAS FOR KASsANs AND MISSOURI FOR
MIssOURIANs-BY KOS HARRIS
Mr.. President and Gentlemen:
That | am to talk to business men Is
pleasure, yet marred by the thought that
may not acquit myself as becomes citizen
Of Wichita. To talk 10 you for my own
qualification is not my aim. l desire that
you may think, follow my mind. and
profit by the thoughts aroused IN yonr
minds, and that which / may say may not
be considered waste OF time. Though
bold assertion without proof, and deciama-
ton without argument are in bad taste,
vet this occasion demands it, and my ar
and proofs shall drown by you
The dignity of this meeting is such that l
scorn the soft phrase which melts like
kisses in the female mouth" and sounds If
it should be on satin writ. | reject sylla-
bles breathing southern air like gentle
liquid softly gliding" 1t is in this humor
I beg TO claim your attention and awaken
your sympathy.
Citizens of one sovereignty bound to-
gether by a strong state union, united by
territorial ties, locally related, our inter
ests so interviewer that prosperity is inser
woven, should we not be cemented by close
commercial relations and amaigamated by
bonds of friendship: The footing stone on
which true friendship rests is not in being
in the position to receive benefits, but In
the power to give in return-a feeling
of absolute equality, mutually, a conscious
ness that independence is acknowledged,
dependence only felt in the necessity that
every one recognizes his dependence on
others, as he knows that all others are de-
pendent on him.
We are necessary to each other. 1t is
reciprocal. Shall we acknowledge the OBJ
hgationy
We are all Kansans. The presumption
has been lndulged that you possess state
pride and patriotism, sympathize with our
endeavor to build city, and that the SEN
timent is deep in your hearts that Kansas
should have clty-cease paying tribute
to other states, and that unity in conserv-
ing home interests will be success and
honor to kanas. A state one-half Missouri
and one-half Kansas cannot be great. 1t
is at best paste diamond. We own the
estate but Kansas City holds the first
mortgage.
That grandeur which our pride bids us
hope for as state can never be attained
until we are free from Kansas City.
Our farmers and stock raisers should be
provided on home soil with ample mar
kets.
Time and space between the producer
and consumer should be annihilated.
Every avenue of commerce should be pro-
vided at home.
Somewhere on Kansas soil there must be
a city which shall be in fact what Kansas
City is in name.
If the past typifes the future northern
Kansas cannot build this city. Can south
west Kansas create and foster this trade
center" which it is assumed all Kansas
demands. and which we Of the southwest
needs most by reason of the new southwest
ern outlets and the not not far off opening
of the Indian Territory, which in feverish
anxiety, Kansas City is hoping to flood
with its commerce and people ere Kansas
gets strong enough to cope in all matters
of trader
If this distributive "trade-center" can be
created on Kansas soil is it not cash to all
of u.s.
II stock and grain can be loaded. mar
keted, proceeds deposited at home-bank all
between sunup and shutdown, will it not
be transaction beneficial to shipper and
profitable to all Kansas
We, of Wichita, have not the vanity to
hope we can be that center unless we are
supported by the country that round Us
lies, nor can any town in Kansas as long
rs we are vassals of Missouri, so long as
we are bound to the wheels of a chariot
built by Kansas, that Missourians may
ride at the head of our commerce, taunt us
with our poverty, placate our press with
sweet editorial crumbs to prevent a com
mercial instruction. Separated we are
reeds in the han Is of a giant, united, we
are as an oak that no power can break.
Our servility in the presence of the Mis-
d., dc ha
Eunuchs.
Let no one complain of Incorporate Ian
guage We can no longer be truthful and
calm, frank and unruflied.
This is not the cause of Wichita nor of
Southwestern Kansas but of the entire
state and of every man who loves 1t and
desires its advancement until it shall lead
western civilization.
The throbbing of a million hearts
against a wrong destroys it, The public
opinion of Kansas under banner first in
broad philanthropy, first in education, first
in commerce.
Humanity is apt to feel overshadowed in
presence of great undertakings. Prone are
we to feel that few can do nothing
against wealth and power. And yet we
know that Luther alone headed religious
revolution, that Hampden headed civil
one that changed England's history and
policy, that John Brown and Lovejoy
overturned an oligarcby and produced n
fratricidal war and that even so insignifi-
cant person as St. John was, he reversed
the political history of Kansas.
In face of this who dare say that we can
not become great commercial power in
the west if our hearts demand 1t?
What we want is a sound earnest public
opinion demanding home commerce in
banking, manufacturing and industry.
We want an instruction IN thought
succeeded revolution in commerce.
There is no great epoch in history Of any
revolution when men can. Twas there
the change began.
Changes are going on eternally from
good to better, from bad TO worse.
At last we realize 1t.
We slip from or toward the shores of
progress as noiselessly as boat over the
water.
The Arkansas rises in the mountain. its
course is governed by PEBBLES broader and
wider as il reaches the low lands, and at
last reaching over sandy loan it swelis in
to a river with rapid current and on its
broad bosom carries commerce ere II
reaches the Mississippi.
We can educate public opinion from the
brooklet out through to the river Of
mighty deeds
Who of you believed that the cattle town
of the plug branch of the Santa Re was
destined to be the largest city in Kansas
Who has not laughed at its pretensions
and INDUCED the vagaries Of its people'
Who dare assert that il has at any time
ever received legislative or corporate favor;
There IS not child but knows that we
have inch by inch fought our way to
those proud supernal heights which gods
and only men Ike gods attain"
Others may say this or that corporation
done this or that, or the legislature done
this or that Others may claim capitalists
as benefactors.
We can say that on the Heaven born
rock Of faith we builded.
Faith in our possibilities.
Faith in each other