New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-05
A GREAT PROBLEM SOLVED.

One of the most serious among the many PROB
lens Of government which the statesmen or Nan-
sas have had to encounter during the last decade
has been how to get their agricultural products
hauled TO market on such terms as would elm
mate the factor OF distance and put them on an
absolute equality with competing agricult'lrlsts
who live next door to the market and hence are
not handicapped by the cost OF hauling Inc
Kansas mind has been applying itself TO the
solution Of this problem with great assduny
for many years. An earlier effort OF the IAN
sas mind was to devise means for acquiring at
small cost property rights in the wide, fertile
and productive areas in the interior of that then
unploughed and unpeOpied State. That was
easy A wise Government, with prudent fore
cast upon the sound economic theory that u
was better 10 have great many lndus'ri0hS
and contented citizens than great deal OF wild
and unoccupied land offered inducements fos
settlement in an extremely low-in fact. merely
nominal-prce for real estate. 1t was not that
the Government desired to thin out its populous
districts and colonize its restless and uneasy
citizens. but simply because the statesmen or
that earlier period were anxious to develop the
interior of the country and make the wilderness
blossom as the rose. The statesmen meant well.
SO did the early immigrants.
But the early immigrants soon conceived the
notion that the tender merces Of paternal
Government were, In fact, cruelties. since they
left them isolated, remote, inaccessible; without
any Of the advantages Of social life; out OF
touch with civilization, and with no opportunities
for listening TO the opera. attending the circus
or participating in the delights OF the political
caucus or county convention SO then they
said that. since they were doing heroic and self
sacrificing work in ripping up the virgin sod
and contributing to the wealth Of the country
by making its soil fruitful and productive. the
Government ought TO show its appreciation by
building some railroads to bring their farms
In tonch with each other and in proximity
with the markets Of the world. Government
went and did It. In order to do 1t it had 10 dodge
some constitutional nhbtions. but by stretch
of functions 1t lent It's credit and granted an
endowment Of its own land in alternate sections
for which, Of course. it deserved no special
thanks. since 1t doubled the value Of what it
retained. by bettermentS-tO citizens who would
build railroads to and through the new settle
ments Government meant to do, and did. the
handsome thing.
But 1t presently turned ont thar the citizens
who built the roads had actually made money
by the operation. No one was surprised at this
except the honest and industrious agricultursts.
who had grown into the notion that because the
paternal Government had done much for
them without It's costing them a cent, all bust
ness men, and mankind In general, ought to put
up money and work for tfem on the same lib
eral principle. since they were pioneers and were
doing such selfsacrifcing work in developing
the resources of the country. SO they proceeded
TO get indignant about it and to discuss their
wrongs at great length and with much heat in
caucuses conventions. Legislatures. sewing So
ccties and other social gatherings. The result
of it all has been that within the last few years
they have reached the conclusion that all man.
kind outside Of Kansas is banded against them;
that everybody who has ever invested a dollar
in railroad enterprise 10 get their products 10
market. expecting reasonable return. and all
individuals or corporations who have lent them
money on bond and mortgage in the expectation
of interest thereon enemies Of society VINO
should be detested in strong language by good
citizens, and put down without recourse by the
strong arm Of Kansas law.
The failure Of these measures 10 make the
citizens of Kansas prosperous. contented and
happy led naturally 10 n deeper and more pro-
found consideration Of the somewhat compll-
Gated problem how TO get their products To mar
ket without paying a profit 10 the tyranncal
railroad builders and the usurous lenders Of
money The essence OF the problem was SIM
ply the elimination Of distance as n factor in
marketing agricultural products II remained
Tor Governor Leedy to solve II. lie did 1t nj
nm indignation meeting over freight rates some
week or ten days ago. Nothing could be sim