Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-02-28
"sTRAIGHT GOODS"

IAN all over Kansan" writing from
Burton, Harvey county, to the Kansas
Farmer last week says some plain
things that should be pondered over,
and which we here give. Concerning
the interest legislation needed. he says:
''Six per cent. is enough as long as
agriculture only pays 3, and of late far
below cost of production. The sense
less cry that eastern capital would be
withdrawn if interest is reduced to
per cent. is for the purpose Of prevent
ing legislation. personally know that
eastern capital wants rates reduced,
from the. fact that they now loan on
good real estate security at from to Z
per cent. An agent of one of the
heaviest institutions represented in the
west says that il the law should pass to
reduce to 6 per cent. and made strong
enough so as not to be disregarded, he
can get all the money he wants to loan
at that rate, but if the present state Of
affairs continues one half the farms Of
Kansas will, inside of two years, pass
into the hands of parties who hold the
mortgages. The reason is that eastern
men do not care to let their money go
out where the law is such that any one
who by any means is unfortunate
enough to have to make 2 temporary
loan is robbed by the vultures whose
hands he falls into until he can never
meet his interest nor principle ON his
farm. Ex-Gov. Martin put it just as
it is, only it is far worse than ANYTHING
can be conceived from what he said.
~
81 have seen the best sod corn in
western Kansas I ever saw in my life,
and feel sure that it will yet put its
villifiers to shame Send in a petition
to congress asking for $25, ,0OO,OOO for
sugar works in the west. 1t IS a
national interest, as much as any other.
You need not expect to get it; but l
want to hear the howl of spaternal
government that will go up from the
bond-holders who are asking and get
ting $50 premium on each 800 OF
bonds, that originally cost them so
cents on the dollar.
'.You say in your last issue that "a
large majority of the members of the
legislature came to Topeka to amend
our interest laws, but find different
atmosphere there Well, tell them for
me, that however that may be, the
atmosphere at home is the same as it
was, only good deal more so. l felt
last fall, when the farmers were follow
ing the Jim Crow lawyers and Shylock
bankers around with their torch-light
professions, that probably the mere
plank in the platform would be all they
would get. Six per cent. interest, a
stay law, and one or two other laws
that the Kansas Farmer has proposed
will be the only salvation Of the farm
ers of Kansas. This state of affairs
has been partly brought about by the
infamous system of laws we have had
to live under, as is well illustrated by
Ex-Gov. Martin. But that is not the
root of the evil by any means. Ii any
of your readers want to get at the true
inwardness' of the robber schemes OF
finance, let them get Senator Plumb's
speech on the bond purchase bill, and
Senator Stewards speech in the senate
OH the 1st day of last May on the
subject of The conspiracy of the money
power of this country and England to
ruin the industries and cheaper the
products of this country also Senetors
Beck and Reagan and others on the
same question.
SIN conclusion. let me say that cheap
money goes where it is the safest, and
that farmer is the safest who can not
be robbed according tn law"
Persevere.
= e. - Al,4