Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-07-21

necessarily requires good deal of time.
1t is probably because of this TACT that tn
delay in publishing results obtained has
been great.
Now, concerning the actual amount of
farm Indebtedness in Kansas. On the 18th
day of last April, Superintendent Porte
wrote letter to the editor of the Topeka
Advocate concerning the farm mortgage
indebtedness in Kansas, in which he states
that Or. McLallin's estimate of SAT, 900 600
sis not likely to be very far from the ex,
listing debt, established by the Census
Office" That is only S13 100000 less than
was given by Senator PETER in his Cooper
Union speech. We now state that we
have in our possession In this Office, figures
from official sources which we believe to
be correct and which will be given to the
people, ii desired, at any time after the
census figures for Kansas are published.
Our figures cover every county in the
State, and not only for one month, or for
six months, or for one year, but for ten
years, beginning with the year 1881 and
ending with the year 1889. We have fig
ures showing the number of mortgages
which were placed on record during those
ten years, covering the farms and the city
homes of the people of Kansas. Where
we obtained those figures and how does
not matter, just now. We give them out
as being at least substantially correct.
They show that during the ten years the
total number of mortgages placed upon
farms and city lots in Kansas amounted to
over 100000; that the amount of money
secured by those mortgages amounted to
nearly $4s3,0OO,0OO; that the amount COW
ering farms was nearly G344, 900, 900; that
the amount covering city lots was nearly
$14O, 100000 1t appears further, that
nearly one-half of the total amount placed
on record during the ten years was unpaid
on the first day of January, 1890. To be
more specific, the actual amount of in
debtedness upon the homes of the people
of Kansas-farms and city lots-in the be
ginning of the census year was aboul
$3.50, OOO, 900, of which amount s16O, OOO, OOOi
secured by mortgage on farms, and S70,-
600, 900 secured by mortgage upon city lots.
These figures, let it be said, are given a.
substantially correct, with the additional
information that If the census report does
not show about the same facts which we
give concerning this matter we will give
the source of our information to the people
so that they may know how it happens
that our figures differ from those of the
Census Bureau. We cannot be very far
wrong when Mr.. Porter, the Superintend
ent, gives in advance, over his own sigma
ture for publication, the statement that
STAT GOO, 900 will be found to be very nearly
correct.
Taking $16O 100000 to be the farm in
debtedness of the people of Kansas, and
taking the assessed valuation of our farm
property in 1888 as standard OF its value,
namely, s16s, 100000 (the present valuation
is lower than that, we have margin of
sS,OOO,OOO of farm values over and above
the actual Indebtedness OF the farms them
selves. 1t will be said that this is not
fair valuation. The KANSAS FARMER is
not responsible for the fairness OF the val
uation. However, the particular Fart of
the Cooper Union speech which is most
criticised is the statement that one-half of
the peoples homes are under mortgage for
more than they would sell for upon thirty
days notice. 1t is said, in answer to this.
that not more than one-half Of the homes
of Kansas are mortgaged. The Capital
admits, however, that thirds Of the
farms are mortgaged. Lest it should be
said that we do the Capital an injustice,
xua will ouofa ono SQDtpppa in ite article