Western Kansas world., 1891-01-03
KANSAS MnlsA6Es.

udJ IA4S "CChf cY SLlr "a OuA AdAH
ers, why there were so many mort
cages Of real estate in western Kan
sas. The question is easily answer
ed although the causes are various.
We had occasion to investigate
few weeks since and ascertained
that out of twenty-five mortgages
that were being foreclosed, personal
service had been obtained in but
three cases, showing That twenty
two out of the twenty-five were non
residents and were making no effort
to hold and cultivate their farms.
We were personally acquainted
with a great many of them and know
that at the time they mortgaged
their farms they did not expect to
pay. They were of the class who
came here with nothing, not so
much as team in many instances,
lived on their homesteads six months,
commuted, paid out and borrowed
every dollar they could of the loan
companies. It was a speculation
with them, nothing more nor less,
and all sympathy for that class of
mortgagors is wasted. The major
ity do not want the land and would
not pay if they could. The loan is
what they figured on from start to
finish. When they were making
loans the only question they con-
sidered was "HOw much can l get" "
The terms, including the rate Of
interest, were immaterial to them.
The county would be much better
off if this class Of adventures had
never set foot upon its soil. There
is no place where stock raising, as a
rule, has been more profitable than
here. This is on account of our
mild winters and the fact that stock |
can subsist upon our grasses nearly |
the whole year, thus requiring but
little feed or expense. Some of our
farmers mortgaged their land to buy |
stock, paying in some instances $25
per head for cows which were after
wards sold for SO or S12. This, of |
course, proved disastrous, but it was
one of those disasters that no one
could foretell or prevent. A large +
number bought railroad and decided
land, making very small payment
down. Land decreased in value.
until their equity was wiped out
and they preferred allowing their
lands to revert to paying out. We
might mention crop failures as one
of the principal causes with a great
many of our best farmers, and those,
too, who have endeavored to do their
whole duty. We might mention a
senseless boom by spectators as
another. Indirectly legislation has
had something to do with it. We
need more money and contraction,
like hard times, is felt sooner and
more severely in the far west than in
the east because there is no surplus.
There are, perhaps, other reasons
for our real estate mortgages than
those we have mentioned. 1t is not
all due to vicious legislation, neither
is it all the fault of the country.
What most interests us now is the
sway out" and he who will solve this
problem will be the greatest public
benefactor of the age. We would
favor almost any kind of legislation,
short of repudiation, that will give
our farmers-we mean those who
are living here and are trying to
keep their homes-an opportunity
to pay out. They have demon ]
strated their staying qualities, have
worked hard, lived economically,
are just the class Of citizens we need '
and if they can tide over little i
while longer we believe they will r
realize something for all the hard a
ships they have undergone. t