Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1895-04-03

passed through my district. Ihey
did not stop there because the land
is all occupied. They went on to
the south and southeast. Crowther
is wrong about the number. There
were some thousands of them
but not as many as his estimate.
The most of them were undoubt-
edly Republicans, and we shall
have to take them into account in oul
next campaign. With very few
exceptions they passed south Of the
Missouri River seeking land that
they could rent or buy.
''There.is something to. be said
about farms IN Missouri in CON
nection with this tide settling
backward from the arid belt" con-
tinned Mr.. Dockery. ''Farm land
i'm Missouri has recently advanced
considerable in value. This is
somewhat remarkable when we
take into consideration the stagna-
tion of every thing else. Dull and
depressing as the last year has been
there is no doubt a very remarkable
advance in value of farms has
taken place in cur State
OF course, Mr.. Dockery does
not for amoment admit that changed
political conditions have any thing
to do with this advance: He attrib-
utes it entirely to the fact that the
farming area of the country is now
occupied, and to- this backward tide
of farmers whom the last season S
disastrous experience has taught
that they have gone beyond
the western limit of successful
tillage.
''The increase in value in my
own county," said Mr. Doekery,
''during the past year has been at
least IS an acre, taking the county
through. In localities it has been
much more than that. l have this
frommenw whorepresentin investments
of Eastern insurance companies,
and whose business it is to be con-
servative and to be carefully posted
on changes in values. They tell
me that this is what has taken
place with Missouri farm property
during the past year, and they pre-
dict steady increase. in the value
of Missouri farms from this time on.
Ex-Congressman Fyan chatted
about this transition in Missouri
shortly before he left Washington
for home. His district lies south
Of the Missouri River, and further
more, his long serviceea the bench
with frequent trips through a
number of the southern counties
has taught him much about that
part of the State, and the popula-
ton of it. Judge Fyan was speak
ing of the theory put forward by
some of the Democratic leaders
that the defeat of last fall was to be
attributed to the stay-at-home vote,
and all that is necessary to regain
the former majority is a full vote.
/ 'sThose, who take. THAT view OF
the situation," said Judge Fyan,
'fail to realize the change that has
taken place south Of the Missouri
River. The fact is that the co,ln-
ties Of the Ozark plateau and slopes
have received an influx of new set
tiers beyond the comprehension Of
those. who have not witnessed it
takis1g place: These newcomers
are from Kansas, Nebraska Iowa,
Minnesota, and the entire North.
west. They have been coming in
for several years, but more rapidly
within the past two years. Tht
most of them are Republicans, and
those who are not Republicans arc
Populists, rather than Democrats
Some thousand of those new set
tiers had been in southern Missouri
long enough last fall to vote, ant
they were strong enough to turn
-, the control of number of countie
which up to last year, have beer
, reliably Democratic. l do not se'
how we can expect to regain thcs,
, counties in the face Of such a chang,
Of population. They are as likel,
to 60 Republican next year rs the,
did last. Another clement O.
change is operating against lis
These settlers from the Northwcs
are not entirely an addition to OIL
population they have in some case
bought out or crowded out the oil,
, settlers, and the latter have move'