Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-17
SENATOR PLUMB AND THE FARMERS

The two weeks campaign made by
| Senator Plumb in Kansas just prior tC
the recent election was in some respects
the most remarkable of any of which we
have seen any account. Coming into
the state as he did unannounced in adj
vance and no list of appointments made
out and published, and travelling by
rapid stages from place to place, fire.
quently reaching point in advance OF
the announcement that he would speak
there at stated day and hour. the spon-
taneous outpour Of people to hear him,
constituting as it did one continuous
ovation, the like of which has rarely been
witnessed anywhere. But his canvass
was remarkable in another respect. In
addition to clear and exhaustive pre-
sentation of the questions at issue as to
national politics, he rarely ever failed to
make local application of the points
brought out affecting the interests of the
people of this state and particularly the
farming community. Nor did he con-
fine himself to questions of party politics
but frequensly dwelt upon practical
matters, questions of domestic economy,
and discussed them in a manner that
showed him to be the thoroughly
equipped man for public service those
who know him have long known him to
be. The Kansas City Star, in its
issue of the 18th, took occasion to COM
pliment the senator upon the points we
had indicated and quoted from one of
his speeches delivered during the cam
paign wherein he said that it had ''long
been the boast of Kansas that she had a
school house on every section of land,
but that he hoped to see the time when
there would be smoke house on every
quarter section Of land in that state"
The Star remarks that ''the obserya-
ton touches matter which is worthy
careful consideration. Mr.. Plumb was
reared upon farm, and was educated
in all of those minor economies which
contributed to the prosperity of the
farmer of fifty years ago and which are
now rapidly falling into disuse. His
long residence in Kansas and his keen
insight into the common everyday af-
fairs of life have rendered him familiar
with the people and their manner of
living, and his Judgment on any question
touching their interests is of especial
value.
The senator says that, under the pres
ent system in Kansas, almost everything
which the farmers of the state produce
is subject to the mutations of specula-
ton. They raise hogs which they drive
on foot to market, and buy them back
in the form of ham and bacon. The
custom mill has disappeared. The
farmer sells his wheat and buys his |
-four. With boundless range Of rich |
pasturage thousands of dollars are ex-
pended every year In Kansas for butter |
and cheese, which are imported from |
other states. While tons of fruit and |
annually go to waste in Kan
sas for lack of facilities to take care of |
hem, the state consumes each year car
oads Of canned goods of all varieties
which are shipped in from other statess
1t is perfectly apparent that all this is
n violation OF every law of practical
economy, and Senator Plumb. in coun-
selling a return to the usages which made
he farmers of half century ago SO in
dependent, has manifested knowledge |
If the situation which a less practical
nan would be slow to master. He has
struck at the root of one of the causes
which initiate strongly against the
thrift of the agricultural classes in Kan
as, and has suggested measure of re-
ief that should be put to an early test.
Attention has frequently been called
o this matter, and endeavor made to
how wherein the Kansas farmers have
allied to make the best of their resources
" greater diversity of industry and
more careful regard for the smaller
ources of revenue which no farmer can
.fford to neglect. It is cheering to
tote, in connection with this subject,
hat there has been, within the last year
" two, disposition among the people of
Kansas to reform their plan, and in pur-
uance of this spirit creameries, canning
actories, sorghum mills and other do
nestle Industries have sprung UP all
yer the state and are multiplying with
Encouraging rapidity. The smoke house
S yet to come, but with the leaven of
hrift which is finally beginning to work
the state it is not too much
o hope that the present generation of
armers in Kansas will learn how absurd
thing it is to feed from score to
hundred head of hogs the year round
nd then pay freight and the grocer's
'rofit on bacon.
OKTSHOTA