Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-01-20
PROSPERITY"

We clip the following letter from recent
issue of the Westchester (Pa.) News. l. ID.
Johnson, the writer, is an eminent physician of
Kennett Square, Pa, where he has, for gen
Grafton past, been numbered among the most
highly respected and intelligent citizens OF that
portion of the old Keystone state Every fair
minded man possessed of sufficient brains to
enable him to do little sensible thinking for
himself will readily recognize the big chunks
of truth in DR.. Johnson's statements:
ARRIVE BEING FOOLED, OR FOoLING OURSELVES?
Editor News: Every intelligent observer
and reader of the times will have noticed the
strenuous efforts being put forth by the politi-
clans and newspaper press to convince the peo-
pie that the country is in prosperous condl'
ton. and that "labor in all ielts of industry is
better rewarded" Instances are given OF the
wonderful success of the stock-gamblers and
mon v-changers in the metropolis to prove that
we are steadily advancing in the direction OF
p;, s)erity and the bygone days of olden times.
The New York Sun recently stated that the
directors of the First National Bank of that
CITY regularly pay 100 per cent IN quarterly
installments; that the Fifth Avenue Bank had
declared regular quarterly dividend of 20 per
cent, and an extra dividend of per cent,
payable on January 3d. and the Chemical Ma
lonal Bank $50 per cent, In tl-monthly dlvl-
dends Now, if we ask these money changers,
or any of the great corporations, as the Pull
man Palace Car Company, the sugar trust, the
Standard Oil Company, or ex-Secretary Day,
who, it is said, will get 100000 for his three
months labor at Paris, and other office holders
who are paid by taxation, if prosperity has re-
off ,of R1t
ask the business men, the farmers the produc
ers, the men who plow the ground and till the
soil; the manufacturers those who make the
things we wear and adorn our homes. Ask the
ministers, lawyers, doctors and the thousands
OF our people pacing the highways in hunt of
work, and can find none. Ask these if pros
perity has returned, and you will receive diff
ferent, if not saddening answer,
The West Grove Independent, In an editorial
last week, said; at will probably make our
Populistic friends mad to tell them that Wall
street enjoyed great prosperity last YEAR, th't
the bull sentiment prevailed to remarkable
degree. And should this have the effect of
stimulating business and placing it on sure
foundation, it is possible that even the most
radical Bryenite will be inclined to forgive the
naughty brokers'" Does the editor of this pa
Der think that the six and half million voters
who supported Mr. Bryan in 1896 will look
upon the success of the stock-gamblers of Wall
street as all indication of returning prosperity?
He might as we'll tell them that the feeding of
a5,ooo of Chcago's poor by philanthropic
society at the Waverly theatre Christmas
day Of last year indicated bette4 4meHt Of eou'
diltiions. are year ago, on Christmas day, this
"a same society fed 5000 of Chicago's poor. This
is the reverse of prosperity, and shows an in
crease of nearly double that of last year. And
we see by statement of writer in the Local
News that $1,000 of Philadelphia hungry
poo1 were fed at the public tables on Christmas
and the day following. The statement is also
published that $4,000 houses In the City of
Brotherly Love are without tenants. Does this
look like "a very satisfactory and steadily-in-
creasing degree Of prosperity as set forth in