St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-12-18
A HOTTIE VIEW OF KANSAS.
Mr.. Bonebrake Of Topeka Writes a Letter In
Defense Of the State Against Attacks Of East
ern Newspapers.

Mr.. Bonebrake OF Topeka Writes q Letter In
Defense Of the State Against Attacks Of East
ern Newspapers.
[From the Topeka Capital
AT the request of your friend, Mr.. NJ,
submit to you few thoughts on affairs
in Kansas. know that eastern parties
who have investments in Kansas are
anxious about their income.
This anxiety is induced much more by
assaults on the state by eastern papers
than because of the actual result of the
election. ! beg to say that we are not
all cranks nor regulators, nor has Kan
sas gone to the dogs" yet. We still
have the same climate and soil that in
one year produced 10000, 900 bushels of
wheat, 267,000,000 of corn, more beef
and pork than any state in the Union,
while all lesser cereals, vegetables, and
fruit have kept pace Herewith. We still
have 9025 6 miles Of railroad in the
state; $335,530,023 of property as
taxed, with real value of three times
that amount, with a state debt OF only
$256,000; permanent school fund Of
S6,0S7 634 an annual disbursement OF
$436, l02 to the common schools: 91S0
schoolhouses, valued at $40, 999,031,
with university, normal school, agri-
cultural college, institutions for the blind.
deaf and dumb, insane, penitentiary, re-
form school and industrial school, SOL
diers home, soldiers orphans home, and
state capitol, all costing $500, 925,
without the equipments. From this it
will be seen that the state can and will
continue to do business.
1t is undoubtedly true that the result
of the election will largely stop perma-
nent investments ofeastern money. Had
this been done 10 or Is years ago it
would have been a blessing to the state
At that period syndcates, loan compa-
mics and capitalists east and west chased
the people over the prairies to loan them
money and buy their bonds. Every
cross-road must have railroad, and
every railroad crossing must have city,
and every city must have water works,
electric lights and paved streets, and
bonds were issued therefor. The people
were led to believe that Kansas was an
addition to the New Jerusalem. Then
the hard times" that prevailed all over
the country prevailed in Kansas, and,
being a new state it telt the reaction
more than her older sisters.
repeat that Kansans, as body, are
not regulators. In fact, it could not be
so. Her people were almost all born and
received their education east of the Miss
issippi and north of Mason and Dixon S
line 1t is Islander on our fathers and
mothers, most OF whom yet live in the
Middle and New England states, to say
that their sons and daughters were edu-
Gated to become rascals and frauds. II
it is disgrace to have voted the demo-
cratic populist ticket, then Kansas can
well afford to invite a comparison with
her sister states of Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New
York. in all of which many more votes
OF that kind were cast than in Kansas.
We have been charged with lawlessness.
Again we invite comparison. Not long
ago, in the city OF Chicago, rioters were
destroying life and property, while the
governor and 100000 business men
stood idly by and allowed the work OF
destruction to continue until a squad OF
United States troops came and dispersed
the rioters. Kansas had the same OK
perience some years ago, when the gov
ernor quietly placed the state troops on
the ground, and without the loss of life
order reigned.
A prominent New York paper charges
Kansas with disloyalty. | need only
recall the fact that in S61-5 Kansas sent
more men into the field in proportion to
population than any state in the Union,
and if the flag was assailed today she
wond do the same thing again.
1t is true that the Silver craze" became
an epidemic here, but some federation
must be allowed to our people, who up
to few years ago were so intensely
republican that they accepted the teach
ings of Sherman, Allison, Mckinley, in
gals and the republican party generally,
when they issued 466 millions of fiat
silver between 1878 and June 80, 1896
The people seemed to think that if a hall
billion of silver was good thing, a
billion was better. They were mistaken
as were the eminent gentlemen named.
condemn the hue and cry of some o.
our people who are continually denounc,
ing "Wall street" money loaners,
gold bugs" ETC., for it was eastern
money that gave us our marvellous de
velopment; but l also denouce the state
ment that our people are dishonest
thieves, regulators and anarchists. II
is true that the state affairs are in the
hands of the Democratic populist party
but we are willing to trust them unit
they prove false to the best interests o
the state. If they do that they will be
quickly turned down."
,an,,Il,cnn aud bau,