The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-31
THE CHANCES TO MAKE MONEY
IN KANSAS.
From the Topeka Capital.

From the Topeka Capital.
The sordid and panicky east, whose
securities go up and down on the market
by jerks every time the wind changes,
has pretended during the last two or
three years to have the razzle-d dazzle, to
use mild term, over Kansas invest
ments. Every time mortgage COM
pany has defaulted in this state, and
there have been some such, and about
every time a mortgage was foreclosed,
the wall that has gone up from the east
has been something piteous and heart
rending. The failure of the Reading
railroad, at loss to investors of between
thirty and forty million dollars, excites
not word OF question as to the value of
property in Pennsylvania or New York,
and drop of several millions in the
New England road Or the collapse Of
two Or three big banks in Boston and
Philadelphia are passing topics, but a
few weeks delay in getting interest
from loan in Kansas Is a nightmare
that seems to send shiver along the
entire Appalachian spinal column of the
seaboard.
Yet we venture the assertion, with
perfect confidence, that the farmers of
Kansas have met their obligations. both
principal and interest, more promptly
than any set of men in the country in
the last three or the last thirteen years.
How is it with the farmers of Pennsyl-
vania, New York and New England?
Their farms have deteriorated in value
steadily while those of Kansas have as
steadily advanced in value. Is it likely
that census of mortgage payments
would show that the farmers of the east
under such conditions have met their
interests and paid off their incumber-
ances one-half as promptly as those of
Kansas? From candid eastern investors
who have tested both sections in their
own experience we learn better than to
imagine such paradox. Dollar fol-
dollar invested, the delays and the losses
in the eastern states on farm mortgages,
not to mention railroads and the low and
doubtful dividends from the manufact-
uring enterprises, are far in excess Of
those on farm loans in this state.
The other day friend from one of the
easternmost states appeared unexpected
ly in the Capital Office. To the question
as to why he was in Kansas, he replied
with much sagacity that he had come to
the conclusion that this was the time to
buy Kansas property. Ii the people of
the east generally have not arrived at
the same opinion, they Will soon do so.
Our great staples of hogs and cattle,
which are the last form of our other
great staple, corn, are high in price, and
the price for weeks has varied only a
little, indicating that these products are
on rock bottom. Kansas has been pay
ing debt at the rate of million dollars
n month for the last two years and has
stopped reckless borrowing. Our wheat
crop of last fall never was equaled
by any other state in the Union. Gov
eminent land at minimum prices has
about disappeared. The vast cattle
ranges have yielded thousands of acres
to the advancing plow and thousands of
acres more have been tramped and
grazed to the point where they can no
longer, for many years to come, sustain
the stock that must be grown to keep up
the supply.
The truth is, and it is apparent to all
who understand prevailing conditions in
the west, that Kansas has already
entered upon another epoch of good
prices and good profits such as lead up
to the great boom. We believe that no
investment for the next five years will
paw better and steadier interest, or
will yield larger advance than the pur-
chase of Kansas farm at prevailing
prices.