The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-16
q DEFENSE OF KANSAS

!
published interview with Ex-Governor
Samuel j. Crawford, of Kansas, in which
| he replies to the statements of certain
Kansas Alliance leaders now in the east
has caused considerable comment and
called forth numerous letters of inquiry
| Among the letters received was one from
a gentleman in Boston, who said:
Il have read your recently published in
| terview concerning Kansas and Kansas
mortgages, and thank you sincerely for it.
Quite number of persons in this city
have invested all their surplus money in
such mortgages, and many of them are I'M
easy lest they lose what they have so in
vested We have heard SO many conflict
ing reports about the poverty of the people
of Kansas, their enormous indebtedness,
the drouth and failure of crops, and the
Alliance legislature trying TO pass laws to
prevent the collection of debts, that one
| hardly knows what to believe I hold
mortgage of $3.50 on a farm said to be
worth So, 900, and am therefore personally
interested. If [ am not tresspassing too
much upon your time, should be pleased
to have you write and let me know the ex-
act facts about the condition of Kansas,
| and whether the farmers generally are in
favor of repudiating their debts"
In reply to this Governor Crawford un-
der date of April II, wrote as follows:
'Your letter relative to Kansas mort
cages reached me this morning In reply
permit me to say, as I said substantially
in the interview referred to, that you and
others who have invested in Kansas mort
cages have nothing whatever to fear on
account of such investments. Every Kan
sas mortgage, with isolated exceptions is
secured by tract of land worth, at the
time the mortgage was executed, at least
twice as much as ii called for Having re-
sided in Kansas for thirty-two years, I
know something of the quality and value
of Kansas lands, and / say, without the
slightest hesitation, that your mortgage,
and all other Kansas mortgages unless
fraud was practiced in securing them, are
just as good and safe as government bonds
The great majority of Kansas farmers
commenced life in that state with little
else than the naked prairie and hence they
found it necessary as well advantageous
to borrow money. But at least nine
tenths of the money so borrowed was in
vested in stock or substantial improve
ments which the farmers now have as the
fruits of such investments. Kansas, mind
you, is larger in area than all New Eng
land, New York, New Jersey, Delaware
and Maryland combined, and hence it has
taken great deal of money and labor TO
bring it up to its present position among
the agricultural states Of the union.
Two years ago the aggregate yield of
corn Zone crop exceeded $50, 900 900 bush
els. Last year the corn was cut short by
reason of the drouth, but the wheat in
quality and quantity was above the aver
age, while this year the prospect for corn.
wheat and other agricultural products
Is all that any person could desire
Throughout the state the ground was
never in better condition for cultivation
We have had an abundance OF snow and
rainfall during the winter and spring and
the farmers are actively at work prepar-
ing for the cultivation of a larger acreage
Of o,,l J.. 81.
before, The wheat crop is already as
sured, and the yield IS estimated RI 6j. .c00,-
900 bushels. while that of corn will not in
all probability, fall short of go 600 600
bushels. This, added to the large herds OF
cattle and the great number OF horses
mules, etc. which every farmer will ship
to market during the year, will place the
state in the front rank. with products for
the market worth st least $S0,000.000
Then with such grand prospect, why
should the holders of Kansas mortgages be
uneasy There is no good reason for it:
but there may be n cause behind the scenes
which they do not understand Alliance
vagaries, the gloomy forebodings of the
crosker and the malicious threats of repudi
alton by disreputable agitators and demo
gogues in Kansas, are magnifed and held
up before the people of the east by specu-
lators who know the value of Kansas
MORTGAGES and are anxious to get them at
Il uedNy discount ~ rev Gays ago 4 gen
tlemsn of your city who held Kansas
mortgage for sl400 was SO frightened BY
false reports about Kansas and the pur-
poses OF the Alliance that he sold his mort
gage for 500; and the same thing to
greater or less degree, as | am informed. Is
going on in New York and Pennsylvania
The members OF the Alliance, generally
speaking. are practical farmers, and just
as honest and honorable in their dealings
as any other class OF citizens. They would
spUrn the thought otnot paying their debts
or an insinuatlon that they are in favor OF
reputation. No doubt some of the leaders
and sgitators. who are not farmers. properly
speaking. and who never succeeded IN any
legitimate business or profession. would
hall reputation with as much delight as
they do the drouth or hot winds. because
that Is essential 70 their political success.
But not so with the real farmers or suy
other respectable class Of people in Kansas.
Our people are aware OF the fact thai
the bulk OF the money invested in Kansas
mortgages belonged 10 farmers. mechanics,
mandatory employees. clerks, teachers
and the estates OF deceased persons In
Pennsylvania, New York aud New Eng
land and on that account, Il for no other
reason, every honorable man in Kansas
will sooner or later fnlhll his business OBJ
legations. But there are other reasons. the
first and foremost OF which ia that the
people OF Kansas DO not belieye IN Re
pudiation. They have been too often
tested in the scale OF Justice and humanity
70 deserve even an imputstion OF that kind
Besides. as already stated, there Is behind
every Kansas mortgage tract OF land
worth, generally speaking, double the
face value OF such mort gage IS security for
its payment. trust, therefore, that you