The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-29

pany and tne other TO the Francis Whit
taker & Sons Packing company, towards
| the erection of which the citizens OF
Wichita contributed over $4,000 in
! Cash. The gentlemen in charge OF these
| institutions have also requested that You
| 50 out and visit those plants while you
| are here. We also have four wholesale
| grocery houses, two wholesale dry goois
| houses, two wholesale drug houses and
| Gle wholesale hardware store, all doing
a large and profitable business. There
| has never been failure among the job
| bling houses here, showing conclusiveiy
| ina; Wichita is a natural center for that
| industry, possessing az We do railroad
/ facilities by which we can reach by d.
| rect route every point in southwestern
! Kansas, Oklahoma and the Panhandle OF
Texas
an informed by the Jacob Do.d
Packing company that their business i.
| 30 per cent mere than II mas ever been
before al tle same season of the year.
Wichita is also the leading produce
market of the state. Eight years ago
| we had about eighty miles Of street car
line in Wichita, in fact ar outside news
paper said of US at one time that every
farmer within Ave miles Of Wichita was
snucking mis- corn and hauling il 10 the
crib in a street car. We have reduced
that mileage to about twenty, for which
there is legitimate demand / wish 10
say by way Of apology for the unpTe-
possessing cars and poor service which
We now have, that new company has
been formed, franchise granted, the
ma teri23s ordered and the contractors
now here, for the purpose of re-
building our entire electric railway sys-
TEN. The track will De relayed with 10
pound steel rails, the overhead construc-
ton will be new, the rolling stock will
also be entirely new, and the cars OF
the very best; so when you come 10
Wichita again we Will have street car
system that we viii not be ashamed to
ask you 20 ride upon.
At the time Of the annual meeting OF
this association three yeas ago, this
country was just emerging from one Of
the most disastrous parics through
which it had ever been compelled 10
pass. Business Throughout the entire
land WIS completely paraIyzed. The
wrecks of banking and business institu-
tons were to be found upon every hand.
No state or section escaped the mighty
storm which swept the country from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, although it's i'm
mediate effects were perhaps a little
more severe in the west and south than
in the east.
In 1895 the conditions, 50 far as a re-
vival Of business was concerned, had
improved but very little.
And 1896 found US in very mucfl the
same condition, with the further COM
plicstion Of being al that time in the
midst OF a pre.ideptial campaign.
During all these years of depression
the people had been told over and over
again by the press, from the forum and
upon the stump that the cause Of all
these ills was our imperfect monetary
system. One Of the great political par
ties held that the trying time. had been
brought about through a vain attempt
to inject an abnormal amount OF depre-
ci3ted silver into the currency, and that
relief could only be found in discontin-
uirg the use further Of that metal and
by relying upon gold alone as parent
money. The Democratic party conclud-
ed that just the opposite remedy was
necessary, and at it's Chicago conven-
ton determined 10 join hands with the
Populists, declaring that silver wa. the
only antidote which would restore trade
TO its former health and vigor.
Both parties dreaded and for years
had sought to avoid meeting this issue
face to face and submitting the ques-
ton to a verdict of the people. Never
-. -. +l-;~ IN
so many men Of one political party look
ed with favor upon the declarations Of
the other. Democrats voted with the
Republicans and Republicans with the
Democrats.
Both sides were honest in their con-
victions, realizing that crisis was at
hand, and firmly believing that unless
the views entertained by their respective
parties should prevail at the fall cleo
ton, condition of affairs would be
broCSn about in this country which
would stop but little short Of revolution.
So thoroughly was my predecessor. the
president OF this association. impressed
with the Importance Of that Issue, that
he devoted almost his entire address one
year ago to the financial question.
however, which was adverse To silver.
Almost Immediately the signs OF return
ing confidence were apparent. Money
which had been boarded by individuals
and locked up in banks and safety de-
post vault. for months gradually began
TO find its way into the channels of
trade, ana within q very snort time bus
iness began TO revive. and capital 10
seek investments. Throughout the en-
tire land there is a plethora OF money
which is being Offered at rates lower
than were ever before known in the
history Of the nation. The government
reserves are being maintained without
borrowing. The banks are holding
more gold than ever bsfore. Especially
Is this true in the city Of New York,
where more than so pc, cent OF the re-
serve fund Of the 0aRlzs is in gold. a
condition never known before.
None Of the terrible things which We
" ere told would follow the defeat Of the
silver cause have thus far taken Place.
notably among which was the predc-
ton that silver and wheat would go
down togetFer. Wheat has gone 20 80
cents. While silver has fallen to - cents.
We rejoice in the former condition.
though we deplore the latter. do not
believe that any loyal American citizen
finds pleasure in the fsct mat one OF
the courtry's chief prodacts (silver) il
constantly declining in the markets of
the world We :ynPath ize with our sis
ter state. Colorado. ana other silver pro
ducinz states and territories. IN this
-, - ,Ea s- ~ H
ing 70 make any reasonable sacrifice 10