Wichita eagle., 1889-03-17
KANSAS GREATNESS TO COME.


at the national capital can be seen &
letter written by George Washington
This letter was dunning one and was
written to a man who failed to make
payment of debt. In this respect the
letter sounds very modern, indeed. In
fact, one might suppose that Washing
ton had lived in the booming west and
had experienced some of our business
methods. But there is something else
in this letter that attracts attention and
makes the text of this article. The
writer makes this remaIk: II consider
these lands the most valuable property
possess, and only parted with them be-
cause wanted money"
Washington was large landholder
and really meant that land was the
most stable of his possessions. In his
judgment land was the basis of wealth.
the backbone of property.
Applying this to ourselves, we look
around us and find in Kansas rich do
main, possessing in itself foundation
of incalculable wealth. We find large
areas of tillable land hardly yet touched
by the plow, hungry for the hand of the
husbandman, and only waiting for the
application of implement and seed to
bring forth its hidden wealth, lying
ready to command.
We look expectantly for that new era.
We confidently believe it is near at hand.
That from out Of our rich valleys from
over our broad plains, there shall roll
steady stream of wealth in grain and
other products of the soil of the richest
and most valuable kinds.
manufacturing industries of the va
rious kinds do not now, and probably
never will, exist here to the extent they
do in some other sections, particularly
New England, where they are neces-
sity TO the support of the population,
such section being largely devoid Of ag-
Ilcultural resources; but our state pos
sesses within its broad boundaries the
priceless boon of genial sunshine and
climate unsurpassed. 1t contains a
wealth Of scenery in its witching land
scape views grand enough to charm the
poet and attract the traveller. Its posi-
bilitieS Of soil comprehend in its output
perfection and variety many OF the
products Of semi-tropics and the more
frisld zones. Within its borders
can be found the most attractive
agricultural and many meteorological
possibilities, patiently awaiting hesturdy
hand of our own enterprising citizens
and the labor of the host that will be
added to our numbers from the north |
and east and south.
Countless cattle will TEEN upon our
pasture lands; the endless sea of waving |
grain, the vines dropping with their |
luscious vintage, and the splendid Or
chards laden with their rich and highly |
favored fruits, will charm away hard /
times and bring the laugh of satisfaction |
to the face and voice of the stoIc.
And from beneath the voluptuous
bosom of cur undulating prairies will be /
is being brought treasures of meal |
culable value in salt and coal and other |
and many of the metals. And /.
from over the seas will come great ships
to carry our products into foreign ports.
and over the continent will roll
trains to bear from US our
fruits, the products of our fields
and mines, and leave in exchange, the
coin of the realm. This is to be our
happy condition, and then Kansas will
be an empire within herself, with riches
like Rome under the first Caesar or Bah
ylon under Nebuchadnezzar.
And it is not too much to claim that
what the great city upon the Euphrates
was to the Babylonian empire, the eter-
nal city of Seven Hills was to the Ro-
man empire in their balmiest DAYS of
wealth and commercial power and iuhu-
ence, the Peerless Princess, the city of
the Nile of America, is and will continue
TO be to this new and mighty empire in
he center of the American continent.