The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1892-10-19
Stand Up for the People.
To the Rdltor Of THE ADVOCATE.

Jerry Simpson points to the poverty In
New York as product of the present
social system. Why, then, doesn't Mr..
Simpson let the people OF New York take
the initiative Ia the matter Of reformY
Kansas isn't suffering. Why should
Kansas bring herself into disrepute and
hard times upon herself for the sake OF
the slums of New York?
The Journal, although generally tax
Ing a position far In advance Of Its party
papers and speakers on the social and
labor questions, uses the same old selfish
argument which we hear republican pol
itlcians use 80 often, which, put In plain
language, is: "As long as zoe are pros
porous, never mind how our neighbors
get along. Let our fellow men, their
wives and Children-who are as dear to
them as ours can be to us-starve and
freeze; 1t is no concern to US as long as
we have plenty to eat and wear"
Admitting that every man, woman and
child in Kansas has plenty of the good
things of life, or, as ]. r. Mulvane tries
to make us believe, $50 each (although
to make up this sum he is compelled to
count as circulating" medium all the
hogs, sheep and d., no, not dogs, though
they certainly circulate" as freely and
cover more territory than the swine); but
suppose we admit all they tell US con-
cerning the great prosperity of the peo-
pie of Kansas, should we shut our eyes
to the wan and suffering in other parts
Of the country?
Allow me to quote from vigorous ar
tlcle in the editorial department Of the
October arena. After speaking Of some
Of the labor troubles of the past two
months, the editor says:
1t Is useless to say we are the most
prosperous nation on the globe, and that
our people are comfortable and happy,
when Mr.. Porter's census reveals the
alarming fact thus pungently stated by
an exchange: "The eleventh census
shows 100000 mortgages recorded
against farms, homes and industries In
the United States" Tens of thousands
of people who imagine themselves well
informed are wholly ignorant Of real
social conditions, owing to their taking
for facts the statements Ct popular and |
famous fair-weather Thermometers who
are either culpably Ignorant or thor
oughly dishonest, but whose writings |
please conservatism and wealth, and con- |
Sequently who are very popular. Only q |
few days since, In conversation with q |
most estimable gentleman who, unfortu-
nately, has never studied conditions him |
self, or fgurRtively placed his ear upon |
the ground, | was informed that almost |
all the mortgages in the west were paid |
off, and that the condition of the farmers
was now very prOspe roua, for Mr.. -
stated so and 80, and Mr.. - was safe
authority. Safe authority! l thought
of the men who, in the years which pre-
ceded the French revolution, were re-
gsrded safe authority when thousands
stood over the pit of destruction; but
they graVely declare that the discomfort
of the people was fiction, and that the
stories of starvation and suffering were
myths. My friend had not left my Office
ID hour when the mail brought an ex-
change with the following statements
relative to one of the very states named
BY the high authority as being rapidly
freed from mortgages through the in
,ressipg prosperity Of her citizens. This
8 what read: THE last Nebraska leg
stature passed law requiring the coun-
les to report the number and amount of
he mortgages filed In them annually.
For the year ending June l, 1892, the fol-
owing is the record: Farm mortgages
lied, $22, 2,46l,74l; released, $17, ,O94 974;
Increase, $5,366,777. City mortgages
lied, Sl2,316,754; released, $9.049,95O;
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