The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-10-07
OUR POP POVERTY.

Kansas never struck the down-Side OF
the storm OF Populism, whose calamity
blighted all the spirit Of her enterprise,
clouded her credit, robbed her people
of their equities and left their homes
and holdings comparatively valueless
and stranded. Calamity is not an in
digerouS curse but was sporadically
developed by bursted boomers who
having overreached sought to save
themselves by beating their creditors.
The first symptoms of the cOntagion
were encountered in eruptions here and
there where a county went Pop, or in
the election of scattering district
judges. Finally the entire body po-
litic became terminated, resulting in
the election of Pop governor and
Pop legislature of revolutionary ten
dencies, and several Pop congressmen,
when complete prostration followed.
For two years the patient has been
convalescing under a wholesome re-
gime of expert treatment, but relapse
is threatened if indeed it is not immi-
nent.
The evil to which Kansas was sub
mitted. the adversely which was piled
on her name, fame and credit by de-
faulting loan agents and land corpora
tions of various kinds, by irresponsible
and dishonest speculative promoters
and go-betweens, eliminating in cal
amity shrek and the election of Pop
state administration, which would
have utterly ruined a less robust or
less recuperative people.
But, two years ago, Kansas regained
her senses sufficiently to turn down the
calamity crowd and to elect a Repub- |
lican administration, since which'time, |
by slow and painful steps, she has been
regaining her original nOrmality. The |
sun shone out on her prairies, the |
gentle rains fell and her fields bloomed |
and fruited again as of yore, and men, |
everywhere, on farm, in city and vii |
more, when premonitions of the epi-
demic struck the nation itself, in the
region of Chicago, followed by the
most violent diarrhoea Of words and
by the most virulent vomitings of cor
ruption and Reputation that a pa
tient was ever submitted to and sur
viye Kansas is being affected in a
reflected way by the wider spread of
her old disease. Heaven help us if we
should catch it again before being rid
of the sequal of the last attack.
These reflections come after looking
over an exhibit of the comparative
made of the peoples
money under the Morrill, and Lewelling
respectively. Repub-
licans at least will feel gratified over
the showing. Over two hundred thou
sand dollars have been saved to the
people Of Kansas and all her institu-
tons have been put on an economical
and businesS-like basis, even on a bet
er basis than at any time in the his
ory Of the state. Under Lewelling
t cost the safe, in 1894, for all its in
'titutiens and expenses $S16, 1923
Under his Pop administration of the
lext year, 1S5, when the Pops had got
heir hand in, it cost $500, ,0S3.9S. Gov
,rnor Morrill, has run the same institu-
ions and his administration the same
and all on a proportion
.tely larger scale, for the fiscal year
nding with June, 1896, for $753, 1861,
IT total saving over Lewelling's Pop
of 500. 9.913.99
Words are unnecessary with such of
cial figures. The evidence is so over
the margin of savings so
arge, that no taxpayer should hesitate :
ne minute as 10 his interest or for
vhom he should vote. This is not
natter of free trade, free silver or free
whisky, but of good government hon
silly and economically administered.
Neither financially or politically can
Kansas afford to fall again into the
ands Of the Pop party. We want
len, we want money and we want en-
errriseS and industries of many char :
cters. Pop rule and calamity are a
ar to all these. Missouri is going Re-
it is said. and Nebraska is
DING Republican sure. and these states
iill be the western fields for eastern
immigration and investment if Kansas
oes Pop. McKinley's election being u
ssured, Kansas, in going back to cal Z
nifty, would be avoided by home
eekers and stunned by capital and en- u