Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-09-24
voice Prom the Milderness.

EDITOR INDEX: In the year 1873 moved
to Barber county and settled on Elm creek Ny
family not being satisfied with the situation
did not stay but one winter. 1 pulled up
stakes and removed to Cowley county. Since
then great changes have taken place. Medicine
Lodge then being a very small village with two
small stores. one blacksmith shop, one hotel,
one livery stable, one small frame school
house-which answered the purpose Of a
school house. church and court house; it stood
on the grounds where the magnificent echool
building now stands. The principal trade then
was cedar posts and buffalo bones, the posts
found market here in the Lodge, but the bones
had to be freighted to Wichita and Hutchinson,
at which places the citizens Of the county and
town obtained their supplies. Town lots sold
for about $40, and if the purchaser would
build on his lot he was entitled to another lot
tree of cost.
There were but very few citizens then in the
now thriving city and but very few In the
county. have never seen a town or county
that has made more progress in improvements
than has Medicine Lodge and vicinity in the
same length Of time. We look with astonish-
ment at the broad acres that are now in cultiva-
tion-lands that we never thought would come
nto cultivation. Again we look at the fine
school building and court house and churches
that compare with any of the older and rich
counties Of the state. Again we see improve
ments in the shape of manufactures-theg great
sugar mill, gTist mill and gypsum works; it
shows one thing and that is Medicine Lodge has
men in it that are full of energy and go-ahead,
and they are backed up by energetic farm
ers in the county.
Notwithstanding all this grandeur in view,
there seems to be almost a stand still in most
all departments of business. The merchant is
comparatively quiet on the counter, the car.
penter's hammer and saw are seldom heard in
our midst; the laboring man can only procure
days work at intervals, when in fact IL
will occupy his whole time at the wages now
paid to support his family. But. says one, the
cause OF all this is the great drouth that pre-
walls in the land. The crops are cut short we
admit; this will cut some figure in the case.
But my friend why was all this dizziness last
year when there was the most wonderful crop
ever raised in Kansas; when farmers had to
sell corn at 10 cents per bushel and wheat at
40 to 80 cents, and dull market at that, when
the very same trouble existed?
LabOrers were thrown out of employment
by the Thousand; farm mortgages were closed
by the hundred. whole settlements were broken
up, school houses were left vacant and farms
turned out to the commons, tramps travelling
to and fro In the land of peace and plenty.
What is the cause of all these great disasters?
Why did It not exist in 1866, 1867 and 1883. We
answer. LIST, because there was money enough
to do the business of the country. I'd, because
the capitalists and money monopolies were not
yet fully Organized-theY were only planning
to get ready for the grip which they put into
execution in 1877 and 1879, when the great con-
centration of capital was contaminated, of
which Washington and jefferson so earnestly
warned congress TO guard against. Well, but
says one, how did they procure this great pow
er. thought the people were the sovereigns
of this great free country; and 80 we say the
government belongs to the people, and we the
people employed servants to transact our ma
tional affairs at Washington, and a majority of
our servants went back on us and legislated
in favor of capital and failed to give labor fair
play-they gave capital the advantage and
they have for the last twenty years been still
drawing the reigns tighter and tighter. Well,
says one, is there any remedy for this great
mistake the people have made in the selection
of their servants. answer yes. You know
there are two great political parties, the demo-
cratic and republican. The latter has been d.
rectly or indirectly for more than rs years In
the majority; only one president elected by the
democrats in that length of time.
And now brother farmers and union labor
men what do we propose to do in the case now
before us as a remedy to better the embarrassing
condition in which we are? Shall we again
employ the same old servants that have been
attending to our affairs at Washington, or shall
we the people risk the two good q? old parties
as on former occasions, shall we farmers
mechanics, merchants and laboring men Of
this great and free country suffer ourselves
longer to be ruled by the capitalists and mo-
uOpoliste, and high tariff protectionists to rule
with rigor over us, knowing that we have such
an overwhelming majority if free.
Let us unite by our ballote this fall instead
of casting our ballots for miIlionaires, monop-
olists and Wall street tricksters. Come on
boys, let us unite this one time. You know
where there is union there is strength. Oh.
well, says one. it won't do to go back on the
good old parties; they tell us to elect them
again and surely they will do something for
the poor farmers and laborers this time. I
tell you it won't do to trust them. have tried
them for over 80 years, and have been a strong
party man. am now in my 73d year. and have
voted Tor president every four years for the
last % years; never voted but once outside of
party, and now in my last days renounce the
old party clicks, and should live until Novem-
Der next, will cast my ballot with the Farm
ers' Alliance and Industrial Labor Peoples
ticket. Although am not member of either
OF the orders, do heartily endorse them and
will support them if live to cast another bal
lot, and though q citizen of Sumner county
and won't have the privilege to help carry the
Alliance ticket in Barber, think it win 90
all the same; but will be in the big It'll dis
trict and will give Jerry hoist II l live
till November. SD. JONES.