Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-08-14

R~+ Es-oO -D4 WuAC4 G15y GBlalHoA lie
The commercial runners came
through this country at the time and
they said times were good; merchants
said timesEwere good; bankers said
times We're good; eastern money was
in circulation in the west and we
were having ''fy time" upon Dor
rowed money and the eastern men
held a mortgage upon our real estate.
When the first semi-annuaI INSTALL
ment Of interest came due we had
expected to pay the same ont of the
soil. The Lord didn't prosper us
that year, the rain didn't come at the
right time, and the consequences
were we didn't have a crop to sell. -
We began to sell a portion Of the cat
tie to pay interest ;we had to sell some
more Of the cattle to pay taxes; we
had to sell some more Of them to live
upon and to clOthe our family. and
when the second and third Install
ments of interest came due, not hav-
ing any crop to pay it with, we paid
that first mortgage off by placing a
larger mortgage upon the land. In
the mean tune when we obtained one
good crop of corn we had incurred
by this procedure too many liabili-
ties; entirely too much indebtedness
was hanging over us, and then we be-
gan to say if we could get two or
three good crops in succession-and
truthfuliy, toO-that we.would be all
right, but we didn't get the crops and
the result IS that a large per cent. Of
the farmers are in bad shape fnan-
claIIy. A small per cent. of them
made up their minds they could
make money by buying and feeding
cattle; 40 out of every SO my expert
ence teaches me, lost money and they
not only lost the amount they had in
vested but in addition lost their farm
before they got through.
1 know what it is to mortgage. I
had to mortgage my home and land
to pay the farmers the amount that I
owed them after 1 got through run
ming a creamery, in order to make
money for myself and them. 1t was
not republican legislation that caus-
ed me to go into the creamery bust
ness; it was simply human nature,
and 1 believed that I could make
money faster that way than any 9th
er, and I was anxious, like farmers
are to make money fast. The result
is still have some mortgages left,
some Of the old stock on hand, that
is L mean I have an interest in them;
the other fellow has an interest in
them; his interest is greater than
mine, at least I pay him interest
twice a year, but I have been gradu-
ally taking those mortgages of, and
I say to you candidIy, KNAPP, that
whenever I get the mortgage off my
farm homestead, and it Is going off,
and it went on for the purposes for
which I have stated, it will break me
of sucking eggs.
Now what is the use Of agreeing
with men. that because we are hard
up and in debt that it Is the fault of
the republican party. Isn't it the
best plan to stand up and discuss it ?
That is my theory about it and I be-
lieve, upon reflection, you will Ger
tainly say 1t is yours. OF course I
know and realize that it is hard for
man to lose his farm after he has
mortgaged 1t under the circumstan-
ces I have mentioned, but at the same
time it isn't on account Of republican
legislation as our friends (the enc
MY frequently state.
would be pleased to hear from
you at any and ali times and obtain
your views, for the reason I know
that you viii write freely and fully
what you think WEBB AIcNALL.
SAFE TRIWEGTRFERGT