The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-07
LIFE IN KANSAS,

tory as a state. The writer, in startin
out, declares Kansas to have alway
been puzzle in all her aspects. Il
dealing with its politics, of the past ant
| present, he enters into the character O
the work of Ingalls, and Plumb an,
points cut wherein they probabl,
made mistakes. The whole boon
fever is by him patiently analyzet
and the inevitable reaction defined. Til,
railway question, their management
attitude toward the state, freight rates
ETC., are freely criticised and the late
political upheaval and its effect on the
credit of the state dweit upon. The
| paper is dispassionate one, and taker
altogether seems truthfully drawn
| picture OF Kansas and her affairs, of her
past and present with bright and hope
full deductions for the future, and it Can
hardly fail of correcting erroneous
views just where they must need cor
recting, viz: In the New England states.
The one criticism we would make Of
the article is its great length. The fol-
lowing are Mr.. Graves closing para
graphs:
.'You can fool all the people some of
the time, and you can fool some Of the
people ali the time, but you can't fool
all the people all of the time" were the
words Of the shrewdest observer, the
most astute politician, the broadcast
statesman and most comprehensive
genius that this country has ever pro-
duced. These words are true of Kansas
as of any other part of this common
country. These people have been fooled.
A time will come when they will be
fooled no longer. 1t is not a difficult
matter to persuade them that con-
spiracy existed to rob them of the fruits
of their toll, and turn their eyes from
the real causes of distress, the most
destructive series of misfortunes, proba
bly,, that ever assailed SO large body
of people in so short time, in
this country. A drowning man may
clutch eagerly at a straw. So may
a man, look to legislation to create
values where none existed before. and
in that way save him from financial de-
struction. But as the once drowning
man, now speeding lightly over the
waves in his loaf, may think pityingly
of the condition which could see saliva
ton in that which lacked the bouyancy
necessary to support butterfly, even so
will the Kansas farmer. with mind en-
ightened by the sunshine of returning
prosperity, ponder the experience OF the
past few years.
But this brief and all too imperfect
history of most eventful years must
draw to close. 1t may not be out of
place, however, before laying down the
pen, 20 remind the enlightened reader
that the ''cheap money" lunacy, like its
fiat kindred, is not new form OF
disease, and is not confined to Kansas.
This Is the writer's second observation,
and he is not so old but that he may
combat two or three more epidemcs in an
ordinary lifetime. The first was in Illinois.
Before that was the "Ohio idee;" and in
the early days Of the republic. ard be-
fore the republic was born, there were
Zone might almost say periodical attacks
of the disease. As a class, the Kansas
populists are as honest as any equal
number of men that may be picked UP
without selection. This statement does
not include men of the Simpson and
Doster stripe, but the farming and Ia
boring element; although the most ar
dent Republican or Democrat will
hardly insist that his party is entirely
free from men who are more solicitous
for their own welfare than for the gen
eral good, That they have been deter
mined to obtain what they believed to
be their rights; is entirely 70 their credit
SO long as they have kept within the
law; and it is safe to say that very few
have seriously entertained the idea of
doing anything unlawful in support of
what they believed to be their rights. |
A few have attracted the astcnished at |
tention of their fellows by anarchistic |
speeches, but have found no encourage
ment to continue their TRADES. Anarchy |
does not flourish IN the Kansas atmos- |
phere.
Good aud evil are mingled here as in |
most places. One who imagines that all |
Kansas people are dishonest, or that no |
good security can be had in Kansas for !
is just as far wrong now as |
he was few years ago, when he was |
ready to buy any security that had on |
It the name of the state, and who &C |
cepled the unsupported statement of |
unknown kansans who were looking |
for market The unwary can lose his |
money here just as easily as he can lose
it in the stock exchange in New York or |
in the wheat pit in Chicago. There are |
plenty of traps here for such-traps that |
are set like the darkey's coon-trap to
'ketch EN- acomIn' or ketch 'em |
agwine;' and if there is any place where
men congregate and where no such |
rapS exist the location has not been !
very widely advertised. But the man /
who has been properly cautious about !
MS investments III Kansas, just |
he lie would be cautious about |
hem anywhere, has had no reason to i
complain of Kansas. The writer has in
mind gentleman whose home is in
New York, and VINO recently made his
first visit to Kansas. He had, for year
II two. been investing some money here,
through trusted agent. we'll known TO
aim for many years. But, with every
confidence in the houestv of his agent. |
PERSONAL examination of his securities |
before getting in too deeply. When he
went away, few days ago, he left in
'tructions with his agent TO duplicate
hose investments as soon as possible.
And this in the face of the Peoples |
Darty lunacy. The agent had been for
several years making loans on chastel
md personol security. of his own money,
IggregatIng upwards of $500. 900. during
he ''boom" and afterwards; $500 will
over ali losses OF principal and interest
Town TO the present. and the gentleman
5 only anxious to increase his loans
lpon such securities as he has in his safe.
IT Is WORTH SEEING.
70 the Editor o. the Eagle