Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-08-16
WHY BE STUMBLING BLOCKS

and progress, of development and
change in physical and mental sur
roundings, has also observed that there
are people-and many of them too
who, without reason or excuse, set
themselves up as stumbling blocks in
the way OF all men who would advance
some new idea or develop some new
plan. Why they do this is one of the
unknown mysteries; and We much
doubt if, when put to the test. they
themselves could explain why they are
so universally skeptical, so pessimistic
and unnecessarily antagonistic to all
progress.
The course of some business men in
Great Bend at the present time in
throwing cold water on the irrigation
movement that many of our people are
working hard to advance, admirably
illustrates this habit of becoming
stumbling blocks, without reason or
excuse.
For instance: Mr.. Hoisington has
been endeavoring to interest the farm
ers in the townships along the valley of
the Arkansaw in an irrigation plant.
He talks personally with the farmers
about his plan; takes great pains to
explain all the minute workings of an
irrigation system and enlist their
assistance. The farmer, naturally con-
servative and careful-and justly So
admits that there is nothing wanted to
make crops sure and profitable in this
locality but water at the proper season,
and expresses the hope that he can get
water for irrigation purposes. He
talks the matter over with his neigh
bors; comes to town and talks irriga-
tion in general and Mr.. Hoisington' s
plan in particular. But about the first
town man he strikes throws chill over
his interest by saying: 80, it's all
right to irrigate but where are you 60
ing to get the water? You can't get
it," And the next man he strikes
shows probably the same lack of inter-
est, or skepticism; and the farmer be-
gins to worry about how the water is
going to be procured. and possibly to
suspect that some scheme to "do him
up' is being worked, and he grows
suspicious and Indifferent.
Now Mr.. Hoisington makes this
proposition He will furnish sUFFIC-
TENT WATER for irrigating 10000 acres
of land in the townships he has mapped
ont of ca uoroh on ooro P,,t bof0ro
he invests the large amount OF capital
required to procure the supply of water,
build the bitches, and prepare to run
the water to the farm lands, he asks
certain number of farmers to agree to
use a certain amount of water for a
certain time. They are not asked to
pay for gallon of water until they
have got it and used it; they are not
asked to obligate themselves to take
any responsibility, to assume any in
debtedness, to in anyway bind them
selves other than to agree to take so
much water, at reasonable price, and
matured their crops with it. What
difference does it make to them HOW
Mr.. Hoisington gets his supply of wat
er? And above all what reason has a
preacher, or doctor to assume that Mr..
Hoisington does not know his business;
to assert that he is not going to be able
to deliver the goods ?
rThQU all Ennw-anH nOno of fhpr1
will for moment deny the fact-that
with irrigation this country could be
made the very garden spot of the earth.
They also know, or at least have the
opportunity of knowing, that no one
assumes any responsibility but Mr..
Hoisington in case he should fail to
furnish the water he agrees to. If the
farmer gets no water he has nothing
to pay.
Why should any man object to Mr..
Hoisington's putting hundreds of men
to work digging bitches, building
fumes, excavating drift or spring to
bring the underflow waters to the sur
face las this is the plan by which he
proposes to get the supply Of water) so
long as THEY take no chances, assume
no obligations and invest no money?
The farmers are asked to agree to be-
come customers for water land the
LORD knows they ali need itl; the
business men of Great Bend are asked
nothing. When the farmer prospers
by reason of certain and abundant
crops, the business man will prosper.
Then, again we ask, why set yourselves
up as stumbling blocks in the way of
this irrigation movement
Thus far the agitation of the irriga-
tion question has been done by few
men in and around Great Bend.
Messrs. L. Baldwin, John Armstrong,
W. w. Sowards, III. b. Fits, VIM.
Hossack, d. G. Luse, Isom Wright, the
editors of the city papers and few
others have determinedly agitated the
matter, knowing that IN time they
would win converts to their way of
thinking aud having only the general
good of the country at heart. Every