The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-12-05
TALKING WITH JOE
HASKELL COUNTY'S STATESMAN
SPEAKS ON AVARIETY OF TOPICS
After Wading Through Alfalfa and Water
He Tells How he and Bill Higgins
Were Reminded Of Very
Tender Incident Of
the Election.

the Election.
Leaning up against radiator at the
! hotel Carey last night. stood Hon. Joe
Rosenthal of Santa Fe' He was SO enter
tanned with one of those inimitable stories
which Tom Mcneil tells that he actually
! didn't realize that there was 125 pounds OF
steam pressure in the radiator
When Tom had his story told and Joe
had his laugh laughed an EAGLE reporter
Clipped in and solicited an interview from
the Haskell county statesman on any sub
ject from the Hawaiian question down to
alfalfa raising in western Kansas. II
don't know anything about the Ha wa,
what do you call it, business" said the
Hon. Joseph, 'but can tell you that we
can raise more alfalfa out in our country
than in any other country under the
sun. know of many fields of it that the
seed alone will average s35 per acre.
'What is the seed good for besides seed? ?
"Why, my dear man it makes the finest
kind of dye. Some of the best prints you
will find in the stores are dyed with the
seed of the alfalfa grass.
"What are the Democrats in your
county going to do next year? Will they
fuse with the Pops?
We have no Populists in our county.
We are all Democrats who are not Repub-
licans. When was elected to the legis-
lature there were just twelve Pops in our
county and they have all goneto the strip -
'Do you think there will be any fusion
in the state next year"
Il am satisfied that there will not be
any. The Democrats will put up strong
ticket and we will try to elect it alone and
single-handed."
How is the subject Of irrigation taking
in Western Kansas?
81 think it is very popular and people
are waking up to It's Importance. 1t
would be a great thing if we could pull up
the vast sheets of water that are under
ground and spread it over our lands. We
then could have an assurance OF crops
every year and in abundance. 1t would
also give US something we need in western
Kansas and that is tame grass. Aa it is
now the growing Of tame grass is up hill
work"
How were your crops this year?
II threshed from a field of my land
thirty-four bushels and three pecks to the
acre, and another field yielded thirty-three
bushels. The only trouble with us is the
price. The day is coming when farmers
will see the fallacy of taking thirty-fve-
cent wheat to market. or any other crop,
for that matter, that can be profitably
made into meat Our wheat should be
going to the market, under present values,
in the shape of pork, mutton or some other
marketable meat. l am told, on good
authority, that wheat will net 70 cents per
bushel if fed to hogs, and the farmer will
save the cost of carting it to the market"
Can you raise hogs in your county
without corn?"
"We produce the best pork in western
Kansas that, in my opinion, is pro-
used anywhere in this country. When
cured it is mealy and nice, and has flavor
that surpasses anything that l have ever
seem"
What causes that?"
''The feed. Barley and wheat are the
finest feed for hogs of any other crop of
which have any knowledge. We grow a
good many hogs in our country and these
are their only iced. People look aston
ished when you tell them about feeding
wheat to hogs, as if it were sacrilege.
At the present value of wheat it is the
cheapest food and the fact that men have
made it their principal food since the
dawn Of history ought to be sufficient to
its value as a food for hogs.
Barley is full of the fattening elements
and it too is a cheap food"
Reverting to politics again Mr.. Rosen-
thai told story on himself that touched
McNeal's fine humor and added to his
stock.
IL will be remembered that when Joe
Rosenthal was elected he was counted out
for the time being and A. w. Stubbs was
in. A great roar went up through
out the state that Rosenthal was counted
out by Bill Higgins who was then secre-
tary Of state. The Republicans recognized
right to the Office and he was
admitted to his seat. "After the war was
over" and things were running smoothly
again Joe and Populist friend from the
western counties met Higgins and a Re- |
publican member one day and the latter |
.wo bantered the two former for game |
IF bign five. The challenge WAS ac-
,epted and by combination of circum-
stance Rosenthal and Higgins sat side
,y side. Joe kept the score and |
u the middle of the game Bill Higgins /
,eeped over to see how the count was. |
Higgins, who was regarded as something |
If a counter himself, looked astonished, |
md asked Joe whether the count wasn't |
little too high on his side. The latter did |
lot like the imputation, and he pushed the |
ard over to Higgins and asked him to do |
he counting. Joe's partner threw up his |
lands in holy horror and said, My |
gracious, Joe. Higgins will count you out
sure" Higgins and Joe both looked en-
1t was startling reminder of
he charges made regarding the election
,oupt; they both took it in good part,
higgins said it was horse on him and in
wo minutes thereafter something was
leard in that room like cow pulling her
sg out of the mud.
Mr.. Rosenthal is accompanied by bis
laughter, bright and handsome girl who
S going to Paris, Tex, on a visit.
At - o'clock he and Tom McNeal were
till sitting by the radiator, swapping
tories and going over their respective ex-
'erlences in the state legislature.
TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION OFFICERS.