Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1895-01-06
TALMAGE SOLlClTS AID.
APPEALS TO coNeREssMES FOR HELP
FOR KANSAS AND NEBRASKA.
writes Letters to Members and Senator's
Narrating tho Dcstitution In Those
States - Hon. Case Brodcrick
Makes a Rcpiy-Curtis'
Resolution.

Washington. Jan. 5.-(special) The Rev.
T. Dewitt Talmage has taken hold of mat
ters in Western Kansas and Nebraska.
This mornings mail brought to each sena-
tor and representative personal letter
from him which will be of special interest
to the people OF tho West. The letter to
Representative Broderick is as follows:
"New York. Jan. 4, 1895
"Dear Sir:-During the last three weeks
or more we have received many hundreds
of letters from the agricultural districts
of Kansas and Nebraska, representing the
condition of a very large part OF the farm
ing population to be vergng on destltutlon.
| Almost total loss Of crops for two years
| In succession. lack of seed or feed for
| stock, supplies for family support ara OF
| clothing to protect them against the win
! ter cold. have brought hundreds of these
| Industrious and deserving people TO con-
/ ditiou which could not under any ordinary
/ circumstance have been foreseen even by
the most provident As in n majority OF
cases. no taxes have been paid during that
time. SO we are Informed, the county
boards are unable to afford any adequate
relief Local aid committees which have
been hard at work during the summer nave
exhausted their resources.
"Thc appeals come to us from the snf-
fercrs themselves and from merchants,
bankers clergymen of various denomina-
tons, presidents of ladies' aid societies
| and chairmen of relief committees. and
| they are so unmistakably genuine that
we have made effort to do what lies
| within our power TO help them by raising
money to be forwarded to the relief com
| mtttecs, and also to have our friends In
| the different states forward clothing and
| supplies by express much more sub
stantial method of relief is, however nee
| essary If these people are to be helpeu 10
| live through the winter. They have no
money TO buy seed and their farms are
worse than useless. If they could get
| away thousands of them would gladly
| emigrate to any point where there was
| prospect of even temporary succor Aet
| they naturally cling to their homes, even
at the risk of facing death through star
| walton and cold; indeed, some of them as
we see by late dispatches, have already
fallen victims to the rigors of winter.
| "a week ago we sent communication
| to Hon J. Sterling Morton, secretary of
| the department of agriculture. Washing
| ton, inquring whether any seed could ba
| furnished to these people and Offering to
forward to him, If desired, several hum
dred well authenticated cases.
| "His reply was that his department could
send small packages OF seed, but he In
| timated that it wasn't in his power to do
more without congressional appropria-
ton. Now this farmer famine Is really a
calamity of national importance-far ex-
| ceeding in regard to the numbers ef-
| fected the extent OF recent yellow fever.
| flood and fire disasters together. We
write to ask your influence and co-opera-
ton in aiding these people. 1s 1t not prac-
ticable to have congressional legislation
| in their behalf, that they may be at least
| supplied with seed and thus afforded the
| hope of a harvest next season? We shall
| be glad to hear from you, stating whether
you consider the suggestion a practcaple
| one, and making any recommendation that
| will count in the matter. BY this mail we
| send you copy of the Christian Herald,
| containing some of the letters lately re-
| ceived. To publish all the letters re-
ceived in single week would I'LL pages
| instead OF columns. Yours very truly,
'"T. DEWITT TALMAGE."
Representative Broderck has made a re-
ply. He gives the gentle tip that possibly
| the people of Kansas may be able to look
| after their own matters, but at the same
| time makes some suggestions that will be
| better understood from reading the letter.
| which is as follows:
washington, D. c., Jan s.
"Dr. Dewitt Talmage. New York city.
| MY Dear Sir:-Your favor relating to
| the condition of the agricultural districts
| of Kansas and Nebraska received Speak
| ing for Kansas ! will say that it is true
that in the western half of the state there
| has been almost total failure of crops
| for the last two years, and many people,
| especially in the western third, must be
| assisted through the winter and supplied
| with seeds for spring planting. | had hoped
| that the people OF the more fortunate sec
tions of Kansas would be able to render
| the necessary aid without inaugurating any
general plan for soliciting contributions
| elsewhere.
~ believe the state is able and willing to
take care of its unfortunate. In the east
| ern half of the state the seasons have been
more propitious and the harvests more
bountiful. 4 majority of the farmers in
this portion are fairly well off, considering
| the depressed condition of the country, and
| will doubtless contribute literally to their
| less fortunate neiShbors in the West. The
legislature of Kansas Will meet in regular
| session in Il few days and will certainly
make timely provision for supplying the
| western portion with seeds. Similar action,
under similar circumstances was once TAX
en- and that precedent will be followed.
do not wish, however, TO be understood as
| discouraging any voluntary contributions
by Eastern friends, but do think, unless the
winter should be long and severe, that
| suitable provision will be made by the
| state and local authorities to help during
the winter and supply the necessary seed
for spring. The Kansas representatives
VIII endeavor TO get all the help possible
from the agricultural department at Wash
| inEton.
"Thanking you for the interest manifest
| ed in the welfare of our people, / am very
| truly yours, CASE BRODERICK."
| Representative Curtis has decided to
| offer resolution directing the secretary
! of agriculture TO spend a certain amount
of money in distributing farm and garden
seeds in that section next spring. lie
| expects on Monday to present such reso-
luton directing tina. 100000 be appro-
priated for this purpose, to be expended
under the direction of the department of
agriculture. MIR. Curtis believes that the
people of Kansas Will be able to take care
G, themselves during the winter, and that
LA r1.rt1t
| but at the same time, under the direction
of the department, such seeds needed for
that country could be furnished. In this
way it can be SO arranged that the money
applied to this purpose through the secre-
tary can be taken from the members who
represent city districts and given to the
parts of the country where the aid would
be appreciated.