The Globe-republican., 1892-09-30

creditor would look at 1t, we nave:
Average cash value of land per taxable acre sls12
Average amount of debt Per acre 3s7
Margin per %
Nearly % per cent of the total mort
gage Indebtedness was found in the
seven counties of Cowley, Dickinson,
Reno, Shawnee, Sumner and Wyandotte.
The census superintendent says; "Of
the total debt in force against acres "a
per cent is on real estate in the western
half of the state, where values are low
and where settlement was made but a
few years ago upon public land. This
has great effect upon state averages
based on value" AS every Kansas cit
izen knows, very large proportion of
this latter class Of Indebtedness was
contracted by men who were leaving
the country, and who looked upon the
loan as sale SO far as they were con-
cerned.
It is claimed by many that the mort
gage debt of Kansas does not represent
money borrowed, but was part Of
purchase money. In a careful analyza-
ton of the purposes for which the
money borrowed on 1858 mortgages
in five counties was used, the superin-
tendent of the census says: at is safe
to say that three-fourths of the debt of
Kansas was incurred,,for purchase money
and Improvements see census bulletin
No. AZ. Having debt hanging over
US, how can We pay it?
1t is self-evident proposition that
the value of farm products will be more
in the next five years than they were in
the past five. The value of the farm
products in Kansas for the five years
ending with and including 1890, was
S612, 100000 in round numbers. an av-
erage for each year of S122,O0O.0OO.
Should the value of the farm products
be as great during the next five years,
it will require only q per cent of the
annual production to pay off in full the
farm mortgage given by the the census
bulletin. The estimated living expenses
of the Kansas farmers amount to $780,
100000 annually. Deducting this from
the value of farm products, and at the
end of five years, after sustaining them
selves and paying their mortgages, the
farmers would have left S5s,OOO,OOO in
cash or products. This is not taking
into account the increase in the next five
years that can naturally be expected
over the past five years.
These statements are borne out bv
the facts reported. there being released
prior to June, 1892, in 81 counties, $780,
3S7, 500 of mortgage Indebtedness, a
clear gain of S4.437,1 or % per cent
over the mortgage Indebtedness in
CURED.
1t has been said that ''our indebted
ness represents our prosperity" The
value of Kansas farms in 1880 was
1895. 200, 900; in 1880 the value of Kan
sas farms was. according to close esti-
mates, S600.O00,000, gain OF nearly
S365. 100000. In 1880 the number of
taxable acres in Kansas was. in round
numbers, 22.500,0O0; in 1890 the mum
Der Of taxable acres was over 43.OOo.-
600, or almost double. Having more
than donbled all our values, it would he
strange if we had no debt to pay, for
such remarkable advancement cannot be
made without capital. Kansas, having
no capital Of her own, was forced to
borrow, and proves that she is able to
pay those who loaned the money.
In 1850 the value of live stock in
Kansas was over S61.OOO.O 900; in 1890
it was nearly s114,OOO,0OO. Again We
have doubling of values that necessa-
rily required capital, which was partially
supplied by loans
In 1880 the number OF sores devoted
to the production Of wheat, corn and
oats was 6,5OO,C0O: in 1890 the same
crops required 100000 acres, q gain
of 33a per cent. In 1880 the value of
wheat, core and oats was S4S, 200, 900:
in 1890 the value of the same crops was
S54, 600, 900.
Ten years ago the total value of farm
crops and live stock in Kansas was
$161, 00O, 900; in 1890 they aggregated
s256, OO0, 900, a gain of s95, OOO, 900, or
nearly 60 per cent
Colorado boasts of her silver and Cal
ifornia Of her gold. The average an
nual production Of gold and silver in
these two ststss u but So, OO0, 900.
The aveGage value a ths Kansas corn