Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-10
REMARKS OF READERS
Opinions and Theories on Many In
teresting Subjects.
A COMPLAINT FROM A KANSAN,
Who Says Another Westerner Maligned the
State and People.
INFORMATION SOUGHT AND GIVEN

To the Editor OF The Dispatch:
A friend has sent me a copy of THE DIS
PATCH of September 81, in which have
read an interview on Kansas that amazed
me. II is tissue of falsehoods from be-
ginning to end. There is just enough truth
here and there to give, l suppose, people
who are acquainted with these facts the idea
that there is a great deal of truth in it all
through.
Now in the first place, Kansas is not in a
period of decline, and in the next place, 1t
has never had greater promises for the
future, in my judgment and in the judg-
ment of its people, than it has to day.
Furthermore, l do not believe there has
ever been year in the history of the State
when they had as much population as they
have to-day. 1 notice this man says: "tt
is safe to say that at least 100000 peo-
pie have LEFT Kansas forever in the
last three years or less" Then he says, "The
late census gives this State an increase OF over
$4,000" Now take the facts. The United
States census for 1850 gives this State 9y6, ,00Q
The state census of 1887 gives the population
as l, ,5l4, SIS. In lSSS our population, according
TO the State census, was l5lS552, have not
States census taken in June of this year. which
Is of course pretty late authority and which is
reliable if anything upon the subject is. gives
Us, L6SOOu0 Now these are of1clal nguresi
hence. where is the decrease that this man
talks about? Again believe that in the year
1890 Kansas has not only more people than she
has ever had i'll any year of her history, but she
has more acres under cultivation. She has
more manufactures OF all the various kinds.
She has more horses, more cattle, more hogs
and greater wealth than she has ever had in
any previous year IN her history.
THE FACTS ABOUT TOPEKA.
He says that Topeka has at present over 1000
vacant houses. OF course 1 have never gone
over the city, but do not believe there are 500.
and l am very sure that there are not % vacant
store rooms aud there are not 10 vacant store
rooms on the main street. and those that are
vacant are the least desirable; a great many of
them old houses. But have had good many
of my Eastern friends here lately, and not one
OF them but what have expressed surprise at
the appearance OF the city at seeing so much
activity in business way; in fact do not be-
heve, unless your attention called to il,
that if you should go through the city just as
you would through any otder city you would
notice the vacant houses as being a special
feature at ALL l notice lie says in
another place that weeds have grown
tall in cellars which have been completed for
new houses and abandoned, and he says that
weeds have grown in the streets of Topeka.
Now that has Just this truth in II. We have an
street is over so feet wide from curb to curb
The street is paved with asphalt OH either side
OF the two tracks of railway. 1t is delightful
drive of about > feet on eacE side. The place
between the tracks is paved with stone, and of
course rough and unpleasant to drive upon.
The cars are run by electricity and in corse-
, Quence DOM use the pavement and there are
here and there a few blade5 OF grass seen be-
tween the tracks. simply beca use there Is an
abundance of good streets for driving on either
side. and the track of the railroad is not used
fOr driving.
Now then it is true that we have had hard
times in this State for the las two or three
years. The princiDal caus. of thar wa3 thJ
Tact that during 1857 and lSSS there was over
1900 miles OF railroad built in this State. and
that caused a sort of speculation which not
not only extended through the cities and towns
Of the State, but enlisted the attention of a
great many farmers, and great many people
OveT-reacheu themselves. but there are people
everywhere who resisted this temptation and
made money, and the fact is to-day more mort
cages are being paid off in the State of Kansas
than ever before in her history. 1t Is estimated.
and believe it IS true, that the State will have
$1,000 900 less Indebtedness on January l. 1881
than il had on January l. 1880 The people of
the STATE are not discouraged, although many
of them are nard up The people of The State
are, great many of them, prosperous. 1t is
true that in the west end of the State they have
raised very poor crops this past year; rather in
the northwest. The west has raised consider
able wheat. but the northwest had almost a
failure throughout.
PROTECTION AND PROHIBITION.
Of course you probably wonder at the aninus
of all such articles, but you must reflect what
ever may be your opinions upon the subject
that the matter of prohibition in this State has
excited against Kansas the enmity of everv
man engaged in the manufacturing, importing
Or selling OF intoxicating liquors throughout
tile United States. and great many of those
who drink as well; certainly all those who are
In any way dependent upon the other class. and
throughout The East there are great many
very wealth. men engaged In this business. and
very many them are respectable appearing
men and respectable men who figure upon your
board OF finance. and who are shrewd enough
TO allCge other causes for their dislike of Kan
sss, and nos to state their real eEmity. and it
Is their general endeavor to make
Kansas appear as If prohIb :on were a curse.
The DIEurSs on the north of rs aEd Iowa have
adopted l. Nebraska has now and has had
pending Tor some time the same thing, and it is
Necessary hat stop must be made to this
their basincs> VIII be greatly affected and they
resort 10 all these methods rs means. The
Democracy. as 1t happens 10 be the weaker
party in This country, seeks for power of course
by aIIyn- itself with that class, and then. too.
they desire TO show that free trade is the true
form Of policy, and they seek to prove that pro-
lection Is hurting us. and they resort to these
methods il order that their policy may be made
the more attractive. but IL seems TO me a
cruelty TO seize upBn all these stories and cir
CUlate them. causing fear. etc, III the minds OF
investors East simply TO procure success in
rolLlr9i objects send YOU TO-DAY CQp7lut
with some official figures which are reliable
and ! think you VIII see by rclarence to them
aid from others that ! may take the liberty of
sending you froE time to time how little truth
there is in this article.
might say further in reference to forecios-
urs ou mortgages. He says he knows one COM
p.Hy who have begun 100 foreclosures in this
STATE s.ECe the firsJ OF the year, matter of
nearly niue months. This company has out
standing about 13OO0 loans, averaging in the
ncighborhood of $1,000 each. amounting 20 some
Sl3 100000; Sl000O.O00 OF which are probably in
Kansas, covering state 2l0 miles wide and 430
miles long. Now, l do not think we have
brought that many, although have not invest-
gated II, and / submit TO you that when
we are i'll conIessedly hard times that that
would not be terrible state of affairs over so
large district, and in so large business and
there are other companies who have as much
in the ale as that really four or five COM
panies have done the most OF the mortgage
business that has been done III the State This
is supYoslng that his statement be true
GEORGE w NOBLE
Vice President Kansas Loan and Trust Com
pany.
Topeka, October 9.
The Demands of ireland.
Vo t1,n F5itor or php DIsrafch.