Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-01-11
Ka.saa Agriculture.

II ~ u0o OO0u ot0SO0 eAA8s ~ S~o~S 49,
been the subject Of 20 much exaggera'
ton rs Kansas, and that Of all the IL
ars since the father of lies went into
business, the Kansas real estate liar
has removed the fruit cake from the
stand and lifted the linen from the
shrnbbery. But, on the other hand,
all of you are witnesses that NO other
state has ever been 90 abused as Kan
sss. ! have myself heard men say
that this whole homestead business
was a game Of chance, the govern
ment putting up quarter section
against the entryman's eighteen dol
lars that he would not stay there. Ii
the alleged advantages Of the state
have been advertised at great expense,
its alleged disadvantages have been
proclaimed free gratis, for nothing.
Twice in the history of Kansas In 1850
and in 1874 the east has been covered
with missionaries of defeat, apostles
of disaster, heralds of ruin, for the
most part our own citizens, who In the
name of "Aid" proclaimed Kansas a
famine-smitten land beside which the
Desert of Sahara was q blooming con-
servatory and fiouriShing market
garden. In 1860 it was announced
that In stricken Kansas "acorns had
been used for food and the barks OF
the trees for clothing" and an aid
seeker in 1874, or rather in the spring
of 1875, stated that tho grasshoppers
had poisoned the grass so that it made
the cattle's months sore to eat It. which
calls forth another statement TO the eff
feet that this poison not only affected
the mouths of the cattle, but decayed
their teeth 80 that q certain farmer in
northeastern Kansas county had ex.
pended his entire fortune in cotton and
oil of cloves to stuff in the old cows
grinders. Besides what we have done
ourselves, against ourselves, every flu
gitive from Kansas to his father-in.
laws mansion beyond the Wabash has
spread the tale of misery and destitu-
ton, and there never was newspaper
beyond the Mississippi that did not
gladly publish all the letters and COM
munications offered it in regard to the
worthlessness OF Kansas.
Between the possibly too-glowing
eulogist of Kansas and the reckless
defamer, the truth has been discovered
through the teachings of experience.
It has been discovered that Kansas
is, first of all, an agricultural and pas
tOral state. It has been definitely as
certained that this is not numbering
or mining country; 1t is not WiscOn-
sin or Pennsylvania, but Kansas-ff.
ty-two million acres.
The numerous holes bored in the
ground at public expense have settled
the fact that the wealth OF Kansas
does not lie 1000 or 1900 feet below the
surface, hut within eighteen inches Of
it, that the farmer aud stock raiser,
probably q combination Of both, is the
coming man, the sole hope of the
state.
Now, in view of the settled facts
abont Kansas, what should the Kan
sas farmer do2
In the first place, heshould brace up.
It is believed, and with reason, by
non. farmers, that the Kansas farmer is
the most inveterate growler under the
canopy and that a beneficent and all.
powerful Providence cannot make
weather to suit him. He is depressed
by adversely, and he is not elated by
prosperity. But the other day friend
of mine was congratulatinga Kansas
farmer on the big corn crop. "Ob,
yes" said the congratulated, shut it
will be al awful amount of work to
shuck it." In the course of my news
paper work in Kansas 1 once agreed
to run an agricultural column" pro.
vided it could. be filled with original
matter. As q result I was flooded
with communications 10 the effect that
the country had enjoyed but three
good crop years in eighteen and that
the farmers were on the verge of pau
perism. All suggestions as 10 the
raising OF this product or that were
met by vigorous declarations that 1t
had been tried and failed. As, in my
Judgment, the object OF a county news.
paper was not to proclaim lite country
10 the world as q hopeless and ire
claimable desert, that agricultural col
umn was discontinued.
With . cessation of this chronic
growing should como a declared pur-
pose 10 stay with Kansas. The Kan
sas farmer should. no longer spend his
time on the .ridge-pole Of bis house
straining his. eyes acr0ss the prairie
looking for somebody TO come from
the east and buy him out. No man
ever made the most Of farm he pro-
posed to leave at the first opportunity.
There is an aged story Of an Irish
gentleman who had an old servant
who was q great aggravation. Al
last, after a quarrel Of unusual proper
tons, the master said, 'This Is iDtOler.