The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-17

for the reason that. owing to the people
coming into power far back 80 the
foreign creditors of the state sought to
stop political agitation in this state by
giving the people an object lesson, they
termed it,
I'm what way was that object lesson
given?''
They proceeded to do it by calling upon
every man who was in debt to pay up
What was the result -
Instead of our citizens ceasing their
agitation of political questions they only
became more earnest in their demands
for change in our political affairs, and
proceeded to pay their debts according to
the contract, and for that reason, Kansas
finds herself today with more of her debts
Hquidated and her finances in better
shape than, perhaps, any state in the I'M
ion. While this has been done at great
sacrifice of property, yet it has been bene-
fetal in this: That it has made the state
Independent of eastern influences, finan-
cially. and able to pursue whatever poll
teal course the people may deem fit
What is your opinion now of the criti-
cism passed upon the state heretofore?'
'4The criticisms that have been passed
upon the state were wholly undeserved,
as about the only men who have dealt
dishonesty with eastern creditors are
the relatives and representatives of these
same eastern investors. There are two
kinds of Yankees who came to this coun-
try from the east. among the settlers of
this country. One of them pre-empted
farm, bought him some teams and spent
his time improving the country; the other
, kind loaned money at usurous rates of
interest,"
Here the governor described a certain
class of sharpers in manner which
showed that he has observed the cause of
conditions in detail. These people, he said
were commonly known out west azure
tinted Yankees who, before coming to
Kansas to loan the money of their friends,
lived on beans and pumpkin flour until
their blood became blue. To this char
acter of man friends and acquaintance
sent money and of him the governor said:
In many instances he hunted up
man with poor claim, made a larger
loan upon it than was justified, and di-
vided the money with the man who held
the claim, knowing that the man would
abandon the claim to the eastern investor.
; This has largely caused the censure that
has been passed upon the settlers of west
ern and central Kansas. 1t is not a JUS
tificat ion for them, but it is fair play to
say that they would not have engaged
in this business, and could not had it
not been for the contrivance of these
same eastern financiers, who promptly
proceeded to work off these fictitious
loans upon innocent purchasers who were
made to believe they We're sound invest
ments. 1 have no word of censure for any
man making legitimate investment
for any man doing fair and legitimate
money-loaning business, but do say that
the honest, Woodworking farmers of Kan
sas have been blamed by many eastern
investors for sins committed by their
n1nnRV-lOa rAlaf
was induced to accept a loan through the
persuasive powers of those money lenders
in order that they might become rich at
the expense of their own kin and kind,
who gave them their money to invest
What is your observation of the result
of this practice?''
western Kansas, where this land
sharking has been mainly done, is revert
ing to the condition that nature intended
it should remain in. 1t is the finest graz
ing land in the world. The grass grows
thicker and better by pasturing, never
needs to be reset, and the farmers who
have remained there are fast turning
their attention to stock raising and
dairying, and are growing into a prosper
Gus condition.
I'm its way, then, you think it will keep
pace with eastern Kansas?''
Eastern Kansas raised a phenomenal
crop of corn last year, and bids fair to
repeat it this year. We have also raised
a very large crop of wheat, and it looks
though Kansas would be able to stand
as much high tariff and gold standard as
the surrounding states, and suffer less
from the evil of it,
You do not agree with the Republicans.
then. in the claim that this is the wave of
Mckinley prosperity?''
ct will give man credit, even if he is
at the head of our nation, for the pros
perity that flows blessing from God.
aided by the energy and industry of the
men of this state who have fought
drought, grasshoppers, chinch bugs and
gold bugs to keep the wolf and the sheriff
from the doors of the houses that shell
tered themselves and their wives and
the little children who will make the fu-
ture men and women of this state. Kan
sas has Iquidated and is ready to do bust
ness on a cash basis. She is now looking
at the distorted features of her eastern
sister states and observing how they
sweating under the burdens of debt