The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-15

course up to the stare" It is safe 10
say as truth, that so large measure
OF prosperity, so rapid an accumulation
of wealth and surrounding physical
comforts, has never before been realiz-
ed from like investment of money and
labor, in the history Of human endeaver
as has been accomplished here in Kan
sas since her admission into the Union
: Then we had scarcely 100000 people;
now we have 400, 900. Then the total
assessed valuation Of property was SPA
744, 563; now it is S337, sol, ~ The total
taxes Of 1861 were only $76,335.53; in
1893 they were $I3, 102, 1874. The entire
wealth of the state was then less than
$50. 006,0 900; in 1890 the wealth of the
state, is shown by the United States
census report, was about 1850, 100000
Then the center Of population was at
the east boundary line of Douglas
county; now it is at the west line Of
Dickinson county Then there was not
mile of operated railroad within the
state; now we have S,90S miles. only II
linois and Pennsylvania, of all the
states, EXCEEDING this in mileage.
ENORMOUS RAILROAD MILEAGE
We have greater mileage than the
great Empire state, New York; more
than a thousands miles breater than
all the New England states combined,
with their five and a half million popu-
lation, and the accumulated industries
Of more than a century, as the manu-
featuring center of the continent.
On these lines Of trans-continenta
and lateral railways have sprung up
more than one hundred centers of popu-
lation and business, cities, the least of
which contains more than q thousand
people, and in the aggregate, S81,1I3
domiciled in thrift and comfort, with
churches, school-houses, court-houses,
water and light plants, not equaled in
towns of like population in any of the
original states Of this Union. More
than two-thirds of these cities have in
creased In population during the past
year, Notwithstanding the existing de-
preston.
PUBLIC EDUCATION.
The national land endowment of our
educational institutions has been man
aged by wise legislation and prudent
administration known in the experience
of no other state, until we have an in
terest-bearing common-school fund. in
bonds and land contracts, Of 49, S6,995;
an Agricultural college fund of $780,
927.35; a State university fund of $780,
731: and a State Normal school fund Of
s137, I'll The State university has re-
ceiVed added endowments, by bequest,
of a greater sum than that from the
government, by which are not included
in the aggregate amount of interest
bearing funds, making grand total OF
all funds sacred to education of $10.-
49,, s52; the annual income from which,
at per cent, amounting to the sum OF
$62S, 071.12, as a current fund to aid In
the problem of education.
There have been constructed 9,0SS
public school-houses, at an aggregate
cost Of $40, 703, 70S, and chiefly by the is
sue and sale of district bonds, about
sc, 900, 900 Of which have been paid and
Cancelled. In these buildings are en-
ployed II, 1888 teachers, at cost of So
060 45945 a year; the total tax levied
and collected for common-school pur-
poses being So, 539, 9S6.n per annum
The total sum paid for educational pur-
poses for the last year, in the state,
was about $500, 600. In 1890 we had
1920 church organizations, with 1854
buildings, valued at s7.447,569.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
There have been expended for state
buildings the following sums, nearly
all of which have been paid for from the
current levies, in cash: State universe
ty. 1920, 600; Agricultural college, $780,
for the blind, So, 449; School for the
Deaf and Dumb, S144, ESQ; Asylum for
the Insane, at Topeka, $616,37S; at Osa-
waton1ie, 1920, 600; Asylum for Imbeciles
S29, 07S; Soldiers Orphans Home, $49, Sol /;
Reform school, S119,S63; penitentiary,
s., 659, 700; State House, $2,000,000; Re
formatory, $4,000; Industrial School
for Girls, $4,000; Grand Army Home,
$40, 000-making a total of S6,152,2S4 to
II Ii k,1,~ ~
in construction of university, norman
school and agricultural college build
ings, and we have a grand total of So
g22. It's, of which S560,000 was derived
from state bonds not yet due, and So
3T2, 175 paid from the pockets OF the PEG
pie for the permanent and 1atsing use
of the generations to follow us.
BUILT AND PAID FOR.
Only one or two of our sister states,
I believe, in the construction or their
public buildings have adhered to the
motto, PAY as you 60" as has Kansas.
In nearly every state public buildlrg
has stood as evidence of public debt.
1t may be anticipated that about 81, 000,-
GOO will be required to complete and
equip the state house, when the burden
of state improvements may be laid
down for a long period Of years.
The same favorable condition exists
with counties, cities and school dis
tricts. as to buildings, that We recog-
nize in the state. Nearly all of them
are amply provided for, and most of
them are in part or entirely paid for.
Not 10 per cent Of the annual tax bur-
den of the past will rest upon the fu-
ture of the state, in this connection.
Twenty-four private institutions OF
learning, most of them religious-denom-
national, have earned a strong footing.
and some Of them very high standing
as seats OF learning, with an aggregate
property ownership of $1,71S,920, and
widely scattered in location over the
state, each domiciled in buildings of its
own.
ONLY FACTS ARE NEEDED.
There can be no more complete refu-
ton, no more emphatic condemnation.
of the organized and persistent assaults
upon the fair fame, good name and
business credit of the people of Kansas
than is found in the simple recital OF
facts I have given in your hearing. In
the light of this record of phenomenal
progress, let every lover of the state,
every one with faith in its future, gath
er comfort and courage. In 1t We learn
that through all its trying vicissitudes
has hHnD tTla 70 IFS motto and