Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-12-02

producing sections that we have ever
seen. And we say most emphatically
and can convince the most skeptieal
that one man and team can raise
more bushels Of good wheat in west
ern Kansas, on an average, annually,
than in any other wheat producing
section in the United States-and
even the world is not barred on this
proposition. We do not wish to be
understood that we can raise nothing
but wheat-we raise corn, oats, bar
ley, and broom corn which is sure
crop and the quality much better
than that produced in the eastern
states. We only meant to say that
fall wheat is our staple crop. This
is one Of the finest stock countries in
the world. In fact it is the stock
mans paradise where the buffalo
grass furnishes feed the year around
except perhaps for very few weeks
in midwinter. Our winters are ex-
ceptionally mild and some Of our
stockmen do not feed at all during
the entire season. Wheat and stock
raising can be carried On to perfec-
ton in this locality. Of course it re-
quires some capital to do this but,
with little start, your herd will in
crease very rapidly. We have men
toned, incidentally, our climate and
will only take time to say that it is
unexcelled in the United States.
"What man has done man can do"
is an axiom that will apply here.
We have talked with scores Of our
farmers who came here from the
East with scarcely dollar, some not
even able to buy a decent team and
who are now in comfortable circum-
stances owning their farms and large
herds Of cattle. They have invaria-
bly, told us that "this was the best
place for a poor man to get start
that they had ever SEEN" We wish
to add that it is the best place for
man of some means that we have any
knowledge Of. After reading all
this some one will say: If all these
things are true how does it come
that there is so much destitution--
fact which you cannot deny? We
answer that the stories Of want and
suffering are greatly exaggerated
and yet we will candidly admit that
times are harder here than ever be-
fore. Outside of general causes
which have affected all communities
alike we would say that our present
crop failure is the principal cause.
Many of our people are poor, a condi-
ton common in every newly settled
country, and cannot stand a crop fail
ure as they can in older settled COM
munities. Some were in debt for
improvements and perhaps for their
land and had absolutely nothing in
sightexcept the proceeds from their
crop. 1t is the natural condition
Of things under the circumstances.
Not dreaming Of a total crop fail
ure Of wheat, some sold every bushel
and paid their debts with their
proceeds. This left some without
even seed for wheat or money to
buy it with, although there were
not nearly so many in that condi-
ton as reported. There were very
few in Trego county that could
not procure all the seed they needed
for sowing and at this time there
is large acreage in excellent con-
dition.
It is true that many years ago
that was before western Kansas
was settled-the grasshoppers de-
wasted the crops of Kansas and
eastern people have not yet ceased
using that fact as warning to
all not to emigrate to Kansas,
although we might retaliate by
mentioning the army worm, and
other plaques which confined their
operations east of the Missouri
river. We presume that for years
to come our wheat crop failure
and consequent hard times in 1893
will be used as an argument also
to prevent partial depopulation Of
the East.