Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-06-26
Kansas.
II Is "A Land OF Great Possibilities an d
of Greater Northumberland Herein
Lies Its Charm.

II Is "A Land OF Great Possibilities an d
Lies Its Charm.
LARNED, KANSAS, June 8, 1896.
Yesterday we drove to Rush Centre,
across the prairie 80 miles. We were fort
innate in getting typical, prosperous Kan
sas farmer TO take us across. On the way
back we stopped at his farm for supper.
1t was fine day, such as Kansas can fur
nish when in the mood. Kansas weather
is what you chance to get. Last Saturday
1t was vile; the wind blew gale all day
and the air was loaded with the dirtiest
dirt that l ever saw. 1t filled my eyes,
nose, ears and the hair Of my head. l
could taste it with my dinner. Saturday
afternoon went 10 Populst convention.
As we neared the end of our journey yes
terday ventured the remark that wheat
raising in Kansas was one stupendous game
of chance. Our driver exclaimed, lyon have
struck it exactly; last spring bet that l
would have 10000 bushels of wheat this
fall; two weeks ago / would not have
given man cent to guarantee me 5000;
today ! have barely 1900 70 POGO in sight.
and the grasshoppers may get that within
the next two weeks" Kansas. taken as a
whole, is colossal riddle; in detail. a
most interesting study. The conditions
are so entirely different from what they
are in the East that one is apt TO get false
estimate OF this whole country You can
procure any thing on Kansas by interview
ing the people that you are likely TO meet
III days ride on the cars. The Kansas
enthusiast is the most volatile person on
earth; but the man who has soured on the
state and is in the dismal dumps emits a
suicidal odor from every pore. Between
these two extremes can be found represent
atIves OF hopefnl, courageous and enter
prising people.
The soil of Kansas can be relied upon
every time and without reserve. but the
climate is tickle and untrustworthy in the
extreme. Nobody pretends to doubt that,
and herein lies much of the charm for the
class of men who push out into any new
country. In no place that l have visited
is the possibility of a rich return from a
small outlay of labor so great as in Kan
sas, while the average return for la
Dor and capital, l am fully persuaded,
can be be found further east. This
accounts for the statement so often heard
here that the man who has lived awhile
in this state will never be contented else
where. The certainty of sure reward
for ploddng toll is less enticing than the
hope of big money for little work.
In my ride yesterday l was not out of
sight OF wheat field for "a miles, out and
back; one-fourth of it is total failure
another fourth will pay for running the
header over il; large part of the remain
der will yield ten bushels to the acre, and
some will go as high as 20 bushels.
Some whole farms will not yield wheat
enough to make a sack of flour. On such
farm all the available assets NAV consist
OF pair OF mules, half a dozen cows. as
many hogs, few chickens and the farm
implements, and the problem is how to
meet the rigors of a Kansas winter All
the food, fuel and clothing for the family
must be brought from some where, but
from where and how? That's the problem
that contronts many man on these plains
today. Still these people cling to Kansas
as starving mother will cling to her child
when she knows that by giving it up her
wants would be supplied. This is mar
vel, but it is logical and certainly true to
life. / can feel the subtitle influence of
these conditions and possibilities creeping
over me at times, and were in the flower of
manhood l am not sure that could resist
the charm. AS | write this the air is soft
and balmy and the song of birds fills the
air. By noon the air may be hot and sui
try, or the wind may carry the dust to ev-
cry corner of the house, and before night
we may have an ugly sky, pouring rain, or
devastating "twister," so conclude that,
after all, New England is good enough for
me. S. B. EMERSON.