People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-06-04

tiOn OF the disease.
In one single year, from 1893 to 1894,
the State of Massachusetts grew in
wealth upward Of S24,OOO,OOO; Penn
sylvania grew upward of 100000
New York grew upward of 1926, O0O,-
000-three times as much as all the
distinctively manufacturing states
combined: while the entire South and
West suffered an aggregate loss Of
more than s4OO,OOO,OOO in this one
single year.
These are not predictions, Mr.. Cleve-
land, nor yet theories, but stubborn
facts.
Nor is this story all told yet, Mr..
Cleveland. These tell-tale census re-
ports disclose upon whom these enor-
nous losses are falling, as well as
into whose hands this enormous in
crease Of wealth is falling.
Mr.. Carroll D. WrightS census bull
letin, Moss; shows that nOtwithstand-
ing the immense increase in the
wealth Of Massachusetts, 81 per cent,
upward of four. fifths of all the fami.
lies residing in Boston, have no homes.
but live in rented houses. while a
large percentage Of those who nomi-
nally own their homes are fighting un-
der constantly approaching mortgages.
Notwithstanding the enormous in
crease in the wealth Of Pennsylvania,
II per cent. or more than three fourths
of the families residing in Philadel-
phia have no homes, are struggling
against constantly approaching mort
cages.
Notwithstanding the increase in
the wealth OF Rhode Island, 10 per
cent. nearly four-hfths, Of the families
OF Providence have no homes.
Notwithstanding the enormous in-
crease Of the wealth Of New York, "a
per cent. more than nine-tenths, OF
the families who reside in New York
City have no homes, while a large part
OF the per cent who nOminally own
their homes are despOndently bat
thing against constantly appreclating
mortgages.
This same bulletin shows another
significant fact-that a larger per-
centage OF foreign-bOrn citizens of
the United States own their homes
than OF natives. This might have
been anticipated, for having been bred
in monarchical countries where gov
eminent by experts hedged around
by the doctrine Of divine right, has
long obtained, they are better pre-
pared for the condition which we, in
this country, are but inaugurating.
Who are the people who have no
homes? Arc they the bankers or pro-
tected manufacturers or other finan-
cial "expsrts?"
BIT these census reports do not
stop even here in their disclosures.
They show that right alongside the
factory.made home markets in Mas
sachusetts nearly 1900 farms have
been abandoned, upward OF 100 Of
which had houses upon them. Ii
Pennsylvania, in New York, in al
New England, agriculture is in unpre
cedented distress and farms are being
abandoned.
/ am aware that men Of your class
who are far more eager to find ex
cuses than remedies for existing con
ditions, glibly tell us that the fertil,
fields Of the West have rendered thO
farms Of New England and the olde
States Improbable by reason of thei
competition. But these same censu'
reports brand this as false.
Take for Illustration Illinois. Be.
fore the war this was the farmer
paradise, Almost every acre Of it i
as fertile as the Valley Of the Nile
and is 10 high state of cultivation
giving indisputable evidence of M
remitting toll and energy. Ever.
county in it has from one to twent.
!, railroads. Its cities have grown il