Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-08-14
From the 5eweu Republican.
A Private Letter from Webb Nc
Nell.
GAYLORD, KANSAS. July 10, 1880.
Hon. M. E. KEAPPENBERGER.
4. hEAPPENBERGER,
j Jewell City, Kansas

Jewell City, Kansas,
Dear ',KRap': Your letter Of July
7th at hand and contents noted. OF
course 1 realize what you say to be
true to a certain extent; that is that
the farmers are uneasy. they are rest
less, they are staggering under heavy
lOads-in other words, a heavy bur
den for them to bear. The old sol
dlers have also been complaining,
claiming that the party in power had
been rather tardy in meeting out to
them their just deserts that they
were entitled to by virtue of the con-
tract made with them at the tune
they enlisted. I say the contract for
the reason that it was an implied con
tract, to take. care Of them in their
old age and see that they did not
want. The platform of the Chicago
convention placed the republican
party squarely on that issue, in favor
of preventing the old soldier from
gong to the poor house. For sever
al years the lower branch of congress
has been democratic and the senate
has been republican. This is the
first session Of this congress since
the republican party came into pow
er under what is known as the Harri-
son administration, and I say to you
that with the present dependent pen
sion bill that is now placed upon the
statute books THAT the republican
party has lived up to its obligation as
enunciated in its Chicago platform.
Let the old soldiers take that bill and
study it and say to you that it will
place three-fourths if not four-fifths
OF them upon the pension rolls who
are not already drawing a pension at
this time. It isn't all we want but it
goes a long ways in the right direc-
ton and then it won't require very
hard work in order to obtain suita-
bic legislation to take care of the re-
mainder of the old soldiers who are
unable to come under thIs-in other
words we will give the remainder of
them a service pension bill as soon
as we can reach it. = It seems to me
that the old soldiers, a large per cent
Of whom are farmers, cannot Justly
be dissatisfied over the actions Of the
republican congress at its first session
since it has had all branches of the
public service in its power and con
troll.
Now then one word in reference to
the condition of the farmers; I have
lived here nearly IS years aud I pre-
sumo that you have lived in Jewell
county about the same length of time
and whenever persons become ''hard
up' they are too apt to charge their
poverty stricken condition to the par
ty in power. OF course the party in
power IS the party they always go
faster. In this particular instance is
1t just or is it equitable to do so ? I
say to you that the plan to-day is not
to lay down in this particular kind Of
a fight and let the kickers and growl-
ers deliberately walk over a person,
charging everything to the republi-
can party, when as a matter Of fact
they are not chargeable with it,
Now 1 will tell you what my exper-
fence is; for several years, in fact
since 1873 to 1880 and since, there
have been thousands upon thousands
Of acres of government land proved
up on at the local land Offices every
month, and have received their final
receipts for the same; no sooner was
this done than eastern money began
to flow into the various counties in
Kansas; a kind Of a boom took place
as it were in real estate. Loan agents
went out among the farmers and said
in substance, ''here let me loan you
money upon your land as 8, 10, and
u per cent, interest with small
commission, the farmer paying ex-
penses. You take this money and in
vest 1t in cattle and in five years you
will have enough increase to pay the
mortgage of from your land and in
addition you viii have the old herd
left and you can thereby get a start.
OF course this kind of argument was
captivating, hundreds Of farmers bit
who didn't have to. and 7 was one of
the large number myself. 4 great
many Of them purchased cattle at
$40 a head for milk COWS. calves went