Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-09-16
WHO IS THE LlARq

WHO IS THE LIAR?
Why Does Gen. John H. Rice Try to Ex-
plain Away the Conditions Which Gave
Birth to the Party He Claims to Belong
tor
Inc following Is a synopsis of the re-
port OF Kansas mortgages given to a
member of congress by the chief clerk
OF that division It will no doubt be
read with interest by all, and settle the
question in favor of so-called '.calam-
ity howlers:"
real estate mortgage debt of S4Se,-
699,64O, excluding state and railroad
contracts was recorded in Kansas dur
ing the ten years 1ssO-s9, of which S247,-
2i4.5S2. or 51.21 per cent, has been
paid; $S4S, 26s, 2S4, or Il. IL per cent, in
numbered acres, which are almost en-
tirely agricultural real estate, and
SlS9, 43l, ,4G6, or 2S SO per cent. incum-
bered village lots and other real estate.
The total number of mortgages re-
corded during the ten years was Geo.
O49, of which 415.622, or 6IOS per cent
OF the total, were acres; 204, 427, or 81. 50
per cent on lots These do not include
interest and commission mortgages.
which were converted into additional
rates OF interest borne by first mort.
cages.
The total existing debt of the peopls
OF Kansas, secured by real estate mort
gage, aside from state and railroad
land contracts, January 1, $780, was
S235, 4S5, los. of which the debt on acres
is S167, las, 039, or 90 9S per cent. of the
total. The per capita existing debt was
S165.
Considerable land has been sold on
credit in Kansas by the state and rail-
roads that have received government
grants on railroad contracts. There is
an existing Indebtedness of So, 99s. .9SS
on the state land sales. An existing
Indebtedness of So, 667, 735, added to the
recorded existing debt, makes a total
existing debt of S170, s12, 774; S1S7, ,65s,-
99O, or 2S. 50 per cent of the total
amount of recorded debt bore 10 per
cent interest; usurious interest was
paid upon 6.S2 per cent of the total;
30 40 per cent of the total number of
recorded mortgages during the ten
years 1SS0-lSS9 were for $500 and under
81, 200.
The above is, to say the A. -, a mild
statement of the mortgaged condition
OF Kansas, and fully justifies all that
has been said of the unfortunate situa-
ton in that state. The statements
heretofore made in regard to this form
of Indebtedness has been declared false
and absurd by the partisan press, and
the parties making them have been de-
nounced as calamity howlers' and
enemies of the state of Kansas. The
synopsis given above is evidence of the
truth of the statements made, and
should fll every honest heart with
alarm, instead of resentment or anger
at being made public. Nothing worse
than has now been proven true has
been stated in regard to the condition
OF Kansas, and this has been given out
In sorrow and regret When truth be-
comes calamity, what might not fol-
low deception? The people of Kansas
now know their real condition. Neither
the politician, the money loaner nor
the subsidized press can longer hide
the true situation. The valuation of
real estate in Kansas for taxation in
1889 was $3.50. 1S1, ,6S2. 1t is safe to saw
that the state is mortgaged for more
than this amount The per capita debt
OF S165 amounts to SS25 for each fam
lily of the average number of five. The
interest on this immense sum cannot be
less than SIS, 900, 600. Add this to what
is paid on other forms of indebtedness
and the vast tribute which the people
of that state are compelled to paw TO
the owners of money can to some ex-
tent be approximated 1t will now be
In order for those who have declared
these statements false to cease such mis-
representation and join with the alli-
ance in devising some means by which
the people of Kansas may be aided in
their distress If they are honest if.
they have the best interest of that un-
fortunate state at heart, they will do
so. If, on the contrary, they are the
tools of the money power, and are aid
ing the money loaners of the east to
more securely fasten their grip on the
wealth of the state. they will continue
in their opposition to each and every
reform that promises relief. The fu-
ture will soon determine their status.
National Economist