The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-01-29


any public data regarding eastern in
vestments and the amount of money
that had been lost and paid on them
He said that there was no official COM
pilation of such matters, and that the
matter of mortgage Indebtedness could
only be secured by a labOriOuS cores
pondence with county officials the
United States census for 1890 had gwen
the total amount of mortgage indebted
ness, but exact figures since that time
could not be secured. Mr.. Breidenthaf s
entire business and official life has been
taken up with such matters, and ne
volunteered some data from his own
information and experience, which he
said could not be disputed by any well
informed person.
NEITHER HOOPS NOR HORNS.
Before giving this data it would be
well to recall that Mr.. Breidenthal IS
the man who, although the head of the
Populist party in Kansas at the time
proclaimed, to the surprise of all, ear
ly last summer, that prosperity mad
come to the state, and thus cOnfOunded
calamity hOwlers. It was the first au-
thentic news regarding the matter from
the state. Mr.. Breidenthal was broad
minded and fair enough not only to tell
the whole truth about the matter, re-
CARELESS of politics and political effect,
but to spread the matter broadcast
throughout the land. He simply want
ed the truth about Kansas known 1t
is also only fair to say that before go
ing to see Mr. Breidenthal 1 had the
opinion OF nm that mas Deen prevalent
somewhat in the east, that he was a
smart political manipulation and in
triguer. After less than half an hour s
conversation with him began to
change my mind, and to believe that in
many things he had been misrepresent-
ed. Before leaving him l became con-
WINGED that he had neithers hoofs nor
horns, and that although we disagreed
politically, he was honest, capable and
straightforward in thought and action.
To make sure that my impression of
him was correct, 1 went to the political
leaders opposed to him, to the best
known members of the bar in Topeka,
to editors in various cities and towns,
to merchants, bankers and farmers, and
it is a pleasure to give the 1nVar1abIe
answer to my inquiries as to Mr.. Bret
denthaIS character and truStWorthl-
ness. Summed up it was:
There is no more honorable man, no
fairer political antagonist, no more pa
trfotic citizen in Kansas than John w.
Breidenthal. You may depend on any
figures he gives you absolutely"
Here is the summary which Mr.. Brei-
denthal makes of his figures: Total
foreclosures in 20 years, so million dol
lars; estimated absolute loss in 20
years, % million dollars; total interest
paid in 20 years. IFS million dollars net
interest paid, deducting the total loss
of 25 million dollars, $50 million dollars.
The net sum paid despite losses, there
fore, is 6 per cent of the entire invest
ment.
In other words although no less than
% million dollars have been lost out
right to eastern investors in Kansas
mortgages the aggregate OF such IN
debtedness has been reduced from 125
millions to so millions, and throughout
all the hard times the state has paid,
actually paid upon it's mOrtgages-go
and bad and indifferent-the average
interest of per cent. OF course these
figures apply only to the mortgages OF
the state involving eastern money-They
70 ha a
ments in municipal securities that Sc
cured nothing except an easy way OF
making money for the promoters"
1t was the speculative spirit and not the
that brought ruin in its wake.
KANSAS IS A WONDER
There may be inquiry as to how Kansas
could pay off much of her mortgage in
debtedness since 1890 one reason is that
mortgage the privilege of paying OH a
mortgage in installments of 500 or mul.
tipleS of that sum, and thousands OF
farmers availed themselves of that priv
lege. and this year will see their farms
clear despite the hard times But how
did they get the money, even the small
sums? The answer is found in the amaz-
Notwithstanding the crop 1allures- me
state agricultural department hgures
show that since 1890 the farmers of the
state have raised in crops and live stock
nearly , billion dollars worth of produce.
The value of those seven years Of produce
is more than the national depI OF me me
United States. The grand total for 1897
iS a
of Kansas farms for 1871 was a mlllloh
dollars more than in 1896, and OF this IN
crease 10 million dollars was IN n, corn 9ni
wheat and oats. Another article Will zeal
with this increase in wealth and what 1t
has meant to Kansas
experimenting Mr. BreidenthaIS stare
mentS I am at liberty to quote what Ma
jor Hood, president of the leading bank
of EmpOria. one of the men most proml-
nently mentioned for the Republican nom
ination for governor at the next election:
when the Republicans expect to win. said
70 of debts
Il have lived here, said MAJOR 1000.
sstyventv-six years, and have been in the
banking business most of that time, and
in all my experience l have never seen
such a desire to pay debts and such re-
have had in 1891. "
Further testimony as to Kansas DEBT
having lies in the fact that in Kansas. as
in Nebraska and other states OF the MO
die west, the loan business, as II was
Of thousands of dollars of eastern money
have been sent back since last ran De
cause there was no market Tor It SIly
recently a bank official in central New
York received letters OF inquiry from ran
Vestments Some persons in Kansas had
money to lend in the east II Is a 19ct
are being paid off far in advance of ma
t1lritv One agent of a loan company
told me that from the west alone returns NJ
on unmatured loans We're coming M III a
his office at the rate OF 5000 d "Seh
faster than he was able TO put Ihg hlolIsy
out again. He said he was Simply Ply SEM
ing back all the eastern money Jhat was
coming to him. He could not ind a mar
I[et even for his western money
In view of these facts, think 1t IS 1air
to say that the present aim Of kansas IS
70 Tef out of debt, and that she is getting
oI,t IF debt rnarvelously fast considering
what she has had to G9nt@ f0n a ana hard
tiI'oee When we analyze the extent or
the prosperity that came to the state IN
100 as we shall in another article, thlilk
= In he agTeed by all reasonable persons
mat it is not a case of special pleading
to argue that Kansas people are H3L 4 qy
debt-pavers in the country. and esPeclaIlIy
so when we rememper t1e tenn 'iO- -0
had to borrow recklessiy. "a
Truly there is light in Kansas now, anu "a
when one considers what she mas Done IN
l. e. i