The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-21
a MAXIMUM CALAMTTYITE.


| To the Editor Of the Ea..le
a few days ago l fell in with n genuine
old croaker. His very presence seemed to
cast a shadow over the landscape. Several
birds temporarily stopped their caroling,
and an old jay that had been rasping the
| crisp morning air, actually screamed with
terror and flew rapidly away. 1 longed to
| join him IN his flight to a better and a
Durer atmosphere. But l managed to re-
main while longer. though 1 felt dull,
| heavy weight in the region of my stomach
| Always when hear my fellow-creatures
snarl and growl, my bristles stand up, and
! |, too, am possessed of a desire to growl
and show my testh. So when the old man
| had finished his invective harangue
| against Kansas, against the West, and in
fact against the present order of things
generally; moreover, after he had told me
very fully how matters could, by the aid
of his infallible Judgment, be speedily and
permanently righted, the cynicism in my
nature rose to the surface, aud | longed to
snap at something or somebody.
The old man started out by remarkiug:
"Well. this is a very hot day, it is going TO
burn up all the corn"
II observe bank of clouds over IN the
west; L suspect we are going to have an
other rain tonight" said.
''No, those clouds viii probably pass
over, or if it rains il will be local affair.
We have drought in Kansas nearly every
year"
~ have been told the crops were good
throughout the state last year, and for sew
eral years previous"
No." he reiterated. at is a mistake.
Wasn't anything raised in Kansas last year.
Complete failure. It was so all over the
country. | tell you this country is going
to the dogs"
THE droughts. " l ventured TO OBSERVE,
''are a thing of the past. Rainmakers
will insure crops in the future"
'The rainmakers ought to be hanged"
retorted he. "No. sir; tell you the pres
ent administration is to blame for all this.
In the year 'S7 everything was all right.
The country was booming"
1.-THE year 'S7 was an exceptional year.
There come very few such years in the his
tory OF any country, fortunately"
''Fortunateiy!' he exclaimed, "why it
was the making Of the country
ut made us lean TO be sure, but -"
Here the old man interrupted me- and
began pouring forth an endless stream of
abusive language. threadbare sophistry,
and gloomy forebodiug l escaped as soon
as possible, but not until my temper was
so ruffied it took seventeen chapters of job
to smooth down my bristles aud quiet my
! feelings.
1t is strange, indeed. that a people,
oil I'm 1E
should be dissatisfied We are acquiring
the reputation OF being eternal kickers.
and such circumstances as this lead me
sometimes TO think that the charge is not
very unjust.
The incident caused me TO think some
what OF that portion OF our history which
is best known, but perhaps least under
stood-the so-calIed boom, eliminating in
the year 1887. It marks an epoch in west
ern history. Whatever the future NAV
have In store for as it is safe to predict
that the stirring events of this memorable
era will not be forgotten. Some, to whom
the fates have been propitious. will look
back upon IL with pleasure; many, not so
favored by the capricious wheel of for
tune. VIII recall it with a sense of loss; all
VIII think OF it as the great epidemic of
speculation.
This disorder Is peculiar to no age TO no
people. 1t is sort of universal ailment.
To the last degree contagious, breaking
out occasionally IN old and densely pouu-
lated communities, but more prevalent in
newly settled countries. Unlike fever and
malaria, it f0urishes best IN uplauds, Ia
fertile regions, and IN a salubrious climate.
1t spreads with great rapidity, affecting
all branches OF traffic and all mercantile
relations.
The symptoms are few and simple First
the pulse OF business fluctuates some what.
then gradually rises higher and higher.
reaching point far above the normal.
This is the maximum. Soon the pulse be-
gins to drop by Irregular. and sometimes
stages of great length. to point far below
the natural This Is the minimum. The
latter i no less abnormal than the former.
Remaining ia this depressed condition for
a while. the pulse gradually Increases, aud
at last becomes regulated, and once again
assumes heaIthfuI state.
said tie epidemic was peculiar to no
age nor people. I viii 80 a step further.
Every community must ~ some period o.
= existence suffer more or less from the
disorder. Like the measles aud the mumps,
il makes IS periodic rounds, aud like the
measles aod the mumps. II is less danger
Gus 90 childhood than II old age. Blessed.
therefore, Is the country that las the spec
uisr.ve craze in early youth and RECEIVERS
SDace. for It's days shall Be long and full OF
prosperity.
TIE depreciation ii real estate values
subsequent 20 the fiual collaDse Is no dis
PaTaEeusut - western people !. w4s tie
a@tUral result OF Causes which HAD long
=xisted. aud Tor which nobody was respon-
-lS.ei i was inevitable. u did lot take