The sun., 1896-09-06

ent years census. The decrease began before Pop.
ullsm and financial hereses were thought OF: II
continued after they came. IL was the result OF
one thing and one only: Lack of moisture at the
proper season to mature crops That IL what
alls Kansas. One Congressional district the
Fifth. In the central part OF the State. has lost
1000 population in year. The rainfall in that
district last year. taking the entire twelve
months OF ls95, WAS twenty inches. AT
Lawrence. ninety miles east, 1t was foriy-six
inches. And this was the fourth year OF de.
tcirnt rainfall, al wheat and corn failures OF
encouragement and disappointed hopes. added
to low prices for all farm products. Wheat
sells for 20 cents in that district IL ii is OF good
quality. oats bring !. TO IL ceLts. corn 20
cents. hay is delivered at ones barn for 81 to
$3.50 u ton. 1t is such conditions that make
financial heretics and drive people with money
into fairer chimes.
\ few years ago 3.O00-acre wheat field
stretched between Abilene and Enterprise. MI.
Ing beautiful valley, broad and with fertil.
soil! Tho writer rode through it u week ago.
and instead Of grain there waved scores of acf es
OF yellow sunfiowers n mass of golden disks,
beautiful beyond description but telling Of the
vanished hopes and labor spent in vain that
were the lot of those who lnok ed for substantial
return. The land is owned mostly by mortgage
companies. and its owners hold it at less than
half the former price. These things have not
affected the ti!th districts politics. 1t elected q
gold standard Republican Congressman In 1894
and will increase his majority this year. 1t
lapsed once into Populsm. but is rising s;eadil ily
above 1t. though conditions have not changed
for the better.
Take an individual instance: A sturdy young
farmer Of 30 entered n Newspaper Office of Cen
trail Kansas few days ago. lie had been grad
uated at an Eastern scndemy. had coms West
with his parents. and had married neiR bor's
daughter after her return from high school
with honors. They bought a farm on time and
started in 10 make a home. Two children came
10 them. but prosperity eluded the diligent
search Of the earnest husband. The editor had
watched tile young peoples progress and was
hardly prepared Tor the opening words which
followed his greeting:
Meil, guess III stop my paper"
Th. ThMhy George. YOU don, % mean that =
referred To him.
wheat failed again and " corn @ AMY rSinE Shs to bs
good and can't pay laSe. and intereit."
Bpt you want VA & the pap.r''
Annie out there in the hot little cabin wash
inc; I'm In tho field from daylight to dark. /
all, en; we cant The plutocra,, rob us"
"rnmcgle
do? see your wife and babies have gone to
Colorado 10 spend the summer in the noun.
iains. My wife can't. Things are not fair. and
II you were IN my place you, TOO. would be a
pessmist.'
George will vote the Popullst ticket this fail
bel ween now and election. II is his way Of pro-
testing against the current OF events. Hcis n
that Of thousands like him. have nnsrrupuIous
leaders traded until they have bniil for them
seIes Ths spprm .%ward place Ard power
He does not realize what have been tho condi-
t,ons under which the state has marched for
hopes VII! lead TO the stars. From an open plain
in 1875 It's entire western half in ten years be-
townships. public buildings cities and electric
lights. II was like tho magic NJ an Aladdin's
decade would have made western Kansas rs ad.
rnnced n: Illinois. City lots were selling as
asN n now ON the II. .sb1rs. Of h.s' s CHI
these pf" to '1is %ss,efs Gs
although AZ the time o. the failure OF the hrm.
part OF whose assets they wore. in 1899 thev
$40 to SIS each I, such 'e an experience p as than
mas mas brought aoont ,he changes in political par
N hs ns " ,ns Ss Of the
The temptation has been enough to cause a far
larger d.fection than has come about. and II is
due due to the good sense OF the people Of the state
hceFp, their irith in things su bstantial.
and prosperity. When. in 1880. il held It's siH big
days gathered its forces aud filed in long, long
professions through the county seat towns 10
intimidats , a. the Replblieans: every man in the
glory was at hand. A sub.trrasury for the
bonded storing or products az INCREASE Of the
of Government money on the farms nj 2 per
cent. cent :" that tho oppressive mortgages could be
held out 70 the farmers. For tho hope OF
'nSss '."S t@"y and sang yS.a Go Ga
PETER aud spplamisd Mrs. Lease 'fI"" Fne rank "E
and file were honest and believed that they
could better their condition. They knew things
were going wrong with them and hoped that
something better might result. IL was OF no li-1
to argue with them. Speakers who tried It
audiences or were so annoyed with questions as
To he unwilling 10 make addresses. 'rhe picnies
tion day In many dlstrict the Farmers Ali.
ence members formed In line and marched! to
the the %a RS s N Sa SsS w
hey israed down simpson and ''i psyi: H. ""f a"%
list elected on the State or Congressional ticket:
These things drove nobody from the state.
cause as brought about the Popnlist party and
animated its almost fanatical mem hers the
tSo sensible sns net psops %nS 10 70
no higher Judgment and no worthier purpose
than would 10 manifested In leaving fertile
state simply because a minority Of the Votsrs
had had atemporary lapse from political sanity.
Money has gone out OF kansas, but II has been
withdrawn by the frightened Eastern capitalist,
The talk Of reputation, OF mortgage REDEEM ption
laws ana enmlty to capital. alarmed every
Eastern Eastern inyestor-and rightly, too. It was on.
eyed cran who traduced tho state should be
taken rs indicating danger to Investment inter
ests. But. ON the other hand, the Investor was
as ga, anxious 70 place his money hers at the begin:
ming rs the kAnsan Was tn get II. said one OF
the managers OF the Lombard Investment Com.
pany. At the time OF that company o failure:
II 10 q fact that for Two wears we could not
get loans fast enough to satisfy the demands OF
Investors. Letters were stack ed two feet high on
my desk, many containing drafts asking for
Kansas loans. nalf million dollars month
but We did Il, and y million a week could al
duced more loans than would have been placed
otherwise"
Tho major portion Of these loans was placed
during 1897, aud when. in 1890 to 1897 they
IDatured and at the same time there came about
period OF short cropa and low prices the
settler sought way out. and hearksnsd to The
sirens OF nat money, VINO promised perpetual
prosperity and happiness unlenled. That was