The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23
KANSAS, PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE
a Land Of Promise and Void Of Disap-
pointment to the Virtuous

Kansas, in common with the balance
of the country, has experienced a season
Of general business depression and this
has had a rather disheartening effect
upon the people generally. 1t is not
claiming too much, however, to state
that these things have been less harmful
to Kansas than any other state. This is
shown by the records of the states.
Taxes must always be paid, of course,
but the promptness with which they are
paid is an indesputable index to the
financial condition Of the people. The
auditor of Kansas states that over 80 per
cent of the taxes due the state for 1889
had been paid on the 10Th of the present
month, better showing than has ever
been made even in seasons of easier
money matters. Another index of bet
ter times than the causual observer sus-
poets, and as unmistakable as
the tax record, is the books
of register of deeds office.
A pleasing fact in this connection is that
more than half the instruments that are
being left with the registers of most Of
the counties just now are relinquish-
ments of mortgages, indicating, despite
the talk Of hard times and scarcity Of
money, that this character of indebted
ness is rapidly disappearing.
There are other evidences Of better
! times in Kansas than anywhere else, such
as the comparatively small number Of
! business failures reported from week to
week, the fair volume of commercial
transactions in all departments, etc, but
these are quite enough to satisfy any
reasonable mind that may be entertain
ing contrary notions that present cOndi-
tons are more satisfactory in Kansas
than anywhere else, and this is one of the
strongest aUguries for the future that
could be presented. The first census of
Kansas. taken in 1865, hardly thirty-five
years ago, showed population of only
little over 5000. The last enumeration.
made last year by the county assessors,
gave the state about 1900, 600 people.
The per cent as well as the aggregate in
crease in population, which should only
be reckOned back to 1S6J-the territory
was not admitted into the union as a
state until 1861. and of course lost more
people during the four years of the war
than it gained-making the record cover,
in fact, only twenty-five years. The
rapid settlement of Oklahoma is regard
ed as phenomenal, and it has, indeed,
been wonderful: but the great rush of
people into that territory has not been
equal to the average increase of popula-
ten in this state, by actual count, dur
ing the twenty-five years of its existence
as a state This wonderful. unprecedent-
ed influx of population into Kansas read
lily accounts for its equally wonderful
development in a material way. Al
though almost wholly an agricultural
state the increase in wealth has been
fully equal to that Of population, as is
showd by the records.
SO much for the past and present.
Now what of the future: Ii the rate of
increase during the past twenty-five
years shall be maintained for the next
twenty-fve-and there is no reason to
suppose that it Will not-Kansas will be
the central state in population and
wealth as well as geographically. 1t
does not require a stretch Of the
imagination to make such an est
mate. The con ditiOns here are in perfect
accord with that idea. The land is here;
its prOductiveness will sustain ten times
its present population, and have big
surplus for the balance of the world. if
equals to the people, the producers, al /
ready here.
Kansas is emphatically leader, and in
few short years will unquestionably be
THE leader in many respects. She will
lead not only in population and wealth, /
but as well in wealth and pleasure pro- /
ducing commodities. She will lead in /.
the volume and quality of cereals and /
live stock. of fruits and vegetables, OF /
sugar and salt, OF silk and hemp and /
their manufactured products, and of /
numberless other articles the fruits of
labor and ingenuity. She will lead in /
the mileage and methods of travel and /
communication, in the facilities for IN
tellectual development and the uplifting
and general betterment Of her people !
socially. morally and physically. Indeed !
the most vivid fancy of the Utopian /.
dreamer cannot paint a picture that /
would eXaggerate the future of Kansas /
The seeker after health viii continue to I.
find here a veritable Gilead; the seeker /
after location where he may erect a |
typical home and enjoy its pleasures to /
the full Will find his colorado in the .
Sunny Smfower state. The wise of
other less favored sections and localities /
who would share these inestimable ben
efactiOnS should haste to avail them /
selves OF the present suspicious season to +
come, and the earlier place themselves .
enrapporte with the trend that can not .
fail to lead them up to the acme of +
human pleasure and comfort as far as /
this world can impart.
Kansas Is not heaven. but the honest
industrious citizen viii find here as much 7
Of happiness and as little of worry and .
disappointment as is the lot OF the most /
favored of earth.
EZzzE@sz--Enzzs3-Sz-~EGaz