New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-22
10 IRRIGATE KANSAS.

The manner in which the Populist statesmen
Of Kansas toss up off-hand with the agility OF
q necromancer schemes for Investing money.
hundreds of millions at clip Is calculated to
startIe steady-going and conservative Eastern
CAPITALISTS who invest their own money rather
cautiously in operations calling for millions.
Their free and easy way is doubtless due to the
prevailing conviction that one OF these days.
when Bryan comes to his own, and the country.
educated I'D to Kansas the Dries OF political
economy aud finance las established free-sIlver
coinage at 16 TO /, money Will be so plentifui
that q little matter Of one or two hundred mill
ions will be a mere bagatelle hardly worth
talking about There will be millions OF tons
Of silver in the Treasury, and every bodys
pockets will be full Of Government promises
to pay It out on demand. With these In gen
eral circulation there Will be no difficulty IN
building railroads, digging canals diyerting
water-courses into arid lands, building break
waters creating harbors and erecting light
houses In the interior and doing lots Of things
to correct the eXasperatlng mistakes made IN
the beginning Of creation, when so much good
farming land was located at such inconven!ent
distances from tidewater.
The citizens OF Kansas have felt that they
were the victims Of gross imposition ever since
they discovered that land for which they paid
the Government from 81 to 81 an acre would
not bring In the market so much as land more
accessible by rail or located on the waterfront
in a large city. In the feeling that they have
been imposed upon by the general Government
the efforts OF their statesmen have been main
ly directed to getting even" with the oppressor
BY way Of atonement for the trick played upon
the original settlers In selling them land re-
mote from a market for their products, the
Government did build a railroad halfway
across the State, but that only paved the way
for another grievance. They were obliged 70
pay freight rates and fares. The unequal con-
ditions continued. They were still dissatisfied.
1t then occurred to their statesmen that II the
currency were improved that 80 cents worth
of silver could be mnde to pay dollars worth
Of debt 1t would be Of great assistance TO them
In paying off mortgages to Eastern capitalists
/ who had loaned them money at 100 cents In the
| dollar. But the country refused to improve
! the currency to meet their necessities. Good
( crops and business confidence IN n Republican
Administration at length so improved their
condition that most Of the people ceased TO
worry and began to take things cheerfully.
The statesmen, however have continued to
think up schemes for making everybody not
merely comfortable. but rich. Governor Leedy
! Is one Of the most active Of these thinkers He
has the most fertile genius and inventive mind.
He never thinks of anything that Will cost
less than hundred millions, and never gives
any time to thinking where the millions are to
come from. All the same, he thinks and thinks
continually. and always thinks hard Some
months ago he thought cut a scheme for build
ing railroad from some point in Kansas
straight to Galveston, Tex. The road WAS to
be built and paid for by the States through
which 1t was to pass-paid for in bonds or any
old thing--and the farmers were to have the
benefit OF 1t in getting themselves and their
products to market for pretty nearly nothing
The road has not yet been started anywhere
except in Governor Leedy's mind. And now
be has evolved another scheme, which he viii
present to the Nebraska Irrigation Convention
1t 10 for a LOO mile canal. from Montana &c
Texas. The purpose Of 1t will be to divert the
voters Of the Missouri and Mississippi, impount
them and let them down when wanted. And Il
will only cost $500, 100000. What's $500, 600 00(
to Governor Leedy when he gets started on
scheme to improve the condition Of Kansas
farmers and Kansas farms? mere nothing
Why, when they get the soil Of Kansas ant
the currency Of the country both irrigated the
two together will make money plenty tina
the newsboys of Topeka will think nothing o.
playing craps Oh the State House steps fo
S1,0000O0 q throw.
Only one objection TO irrigating Kansas
craftsmanship by this canal occurs TO us. 1t Il
the objection raised by the Kentucky legs
lator to q ong-w.nded orator. who stopped t.
take drink Of water. u make the point O