Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-04-14

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bama, and in the northwest, Iowa, have
been taken as sample states. The next
two states will be, in the south, Tenn
essee, and in the west, Kansas. They
are now under way, but on account of
the immense mass of business before
the bureau, and the shortness of help,
it has been found necessary to abandon
this part of the work for the present.,
and take it up again as soon as some
other pressing work is disposed of. The
WORK is classified so as to show great
many very interesting facts concerning
the mortgage indebtedness of the peo-
pie. The first classification is between
farms and homes, those farms which
are not occupied by their owners; those
which are occupied by renters are not
considered in this classification at all.
1t appears, on general average, that
there are about One-half as many city
lots under mortgage as there are of
farms. 1t appears, further, that so far
as Kansas is concerned, the average in
debtedness on farm lands-that is to
SAY, on different tracts-is about $500,
and that it is little less than 5000 to
the average city lot. Then there are
other classiicatiOns so as to show what
was the object of the indebtedness, what
was the object of contracting the debt,
whether it was for purchase money. or
| improvements. or to pay attorneys fees,
or in the settlement OF estates. or for
the purpose of purchasing stock, or
machinery. or whatever it may
be. We wish to say to our
readers that this work is very i'm
portant one. We have mad NUMBER of
1N++o w Il; oEio nd SonofNp pnffnp
has received large number of inquiries
from friends in the state, asking wheth-
err it is proper and right that they
should answer the questions which have
been submitted to them by the superin-
tendent of the census concerning the
indebtedness of their farms and homes.
We answer emphatically that it is prop
er to, answer these questions. Cur read
perhaps will remember that when the
subject was being discussed in the last
congress. more than a year ago, the
Kansas Farmer. among other papers
representing the agricultural interests
of the people, took strong grounds in
favor of collecting this very informa-
stion, and the Investigations which are
now being made show the Importance OF
1t. The people are not aware of the ex-
uSuU vi UIlS lIlucDtOClICSS uJOI
homes. It is understood in a general
way that there is a great deal of indebt-
edneSs in the country. and Individual
owners of farms and homes know just
what the amount of their individual in
debtedness is but when we come to look
up IN the subject as one Of general i'm
p0rtance, one in which the people as
mass are interested, and for the general
4 hat ttri6t
men and women know very little about
it So it was that when the first apprO-
priation was mada for collecting census;
reports there was but very limited and
indefinite provision in the law provid-
ing for the collection of these mortgage
statistics, and the people, largely
through the influence of the labor and
the agricultural press, insisted upon an
amendatory or supplementary act, Civ
ing instructions tell the superintendent of
the census to collect statistics all over We
country. so as to make it not only of gen.
eral interest, but satisfactory in its col
lection of matter and in its conclusions.
Now we are getting it, and it is sur
prising to see what the result is. We
hope that our friends in Kansas aud all
over the country will regard this mat
ter as one of personal interest to them
selves. and one of general interest to
the public, answering all the questions
just as they are asked touching their
Indebtedness And further, we wish to
state. as the people will see from the
circular letter as which they are re-
ceiving. that every officer of the census
bureau is sworn to secrecy in this mat
ter. so that it is violation of the law,
punishable with fine and imprisonment,
to disclose any of the information which
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