The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-15
JOLLY TIMES IN KANSAS.
CROPS ARE GOOD AND FARMERS ARE
ENJOYING LEE.
Celebrations to Glerify Corn Instead of Ca
lamity MeetinEs-Little Interest in POLE
tics-Farmers Paying Cash-Tbe Secret
of Making Money by Farming In Kansas.

IL,
haps shows SO well the changed condition OF affairs
and the attitude Of the people, as the wave Of
hilarity that is sweeping over Kansas this fall
Never before in the history OF the State has there
been much joty and rejoicing. Carnivals
and celebrations are everywhere and they are all
well attended. They have the patronage OF
the farmers who come in long professions TO see
the balloon asccnsons and the fire works. and Incl
dcntally get robbed Of some OF their wheat money.
The papers report more pocketpicking than in
years before.
a tall, sunburnM young farmer called ON
friend here the other day. Two years ago he was
trying to sell his farm and go back East This
time he seemed happy
Going TO stay with u.s."
WELL reckon am. brought in lot Of cattle
this morning and sold them for So 80 hundred
weight; that's good enough for me-
But you told me you couldn't make money by
farming in Kansas"
That's so, guess but you see hadn't learned
how. ] was tryin' TO make it by Just sowin wheat
and plantn' and sen' them Now I'm
plantin' corn just the same, but I'm fecdin it TO
cattle and hogs II amt tn big crops alone that
has made us better of. it's the better managin.
That's all we needed"
This is the view Of many OF the farmers Of the
State They hold that they have learned much
in the last two three years. things that are worth
much both in dollars and cents and in the peace
OF mind that brings better health and contentment
The one dominant theme Of the celebrations this
year is the corn. About half the towns having
them, call the gathering a corn carnival or corn
festival The professions that wend their way
in from the country and take their course through
the streets are made up Of corn floats. wagons
decorated with oDrn and huge loads Of corn for
which prizes are offered. In this city the biggest
vaq for the LARGEST lOad of corn. One farmer
took pair Of low iron trucks and on them built a
platform and erected a corn crib lie hitched TO
this sixteen horses and there was no use in any one
else trying for the prize. Three hundred bushels
were in the wagon The town spent 81 900 for the
days amusement The money went for street
decorations, the floats and parade, the prizes
10 the farmers and the amusemcntS 10 keep the
crowd happy all the long afternoon. The mer-
chants did not allow a visitor 10 spend dollar.
while in the city for, entertainment. Belleville
had festival last week that lasted three days
aud was attended by 1000 people nearly all Of
them farmers Of the surrounding country. who
dressed themselves in their best and went to enjoy
the hospitality Of the merchants who arranged
the affair.
Atchison started the corn festival idea, but il
doc9 things on scale that the average country
town cannot follow. This year 25,0OO people
thronccd the streets and threw corn at another
untl the streets were White and yellow Win lne
kennels. 1he1e was one decoration that cost
$500. huge corn king that stood thirty five feet
high; \ huge imitation Of an ear of corn thirty
feet high another while stores made their
fronts handsome with corn decorations.
The street fair has elso pleased Kansas Dozens
OF towns having displays Of this sort, and each
has an attendance that is far in excess Of the cN-
pcctatons There is always Midway, and tho
farmers who used to trcmblc at the thought Of
the octopus now feast their eyes on the antics of
Me dancing girls and forget ihot they ever mad
troubles II Is their time Of iolliiy. They DO not
thp hp Tnn tort HOG IA
can be renewed if it is not already paid As with
the bonds Of the township, there are plenty Of appl
loan can get all sorts OF concessions as 10 rates
ard payments if he will only sign the papers
the farmer to forget politics There has not been
u politica meeting in the State outside of the
MRS. c0s cites ,Ss Ii. n TINS eGuE
ancc had a procession through the town with
enough voters in line to carry the election, there
is not PopMlist paper and the Democrats are
running the Fusion campaign without an effort
70 elect more than two Of the men on its ticket
president Of the Alliance then and ordered the yo
ters 10 match TO the polls On election day with
came out within few hundred. is candidate on
the Republican ticket for Sheriff, and is likely 10
| be elected. -Four Of the Republican candidates
| lists not being able 10 find candidate who would
take the chance, of a forloIn hope. Five years
dates and Some Of them would have won. The
result is that the campaign is without life or ex
| Cltement, ana mas become more OIL a personal
struggle than a party affair. The chief subject
| Of discussion is that OF expansion and with the
| Twentieth KANSAS record in the field there is
Simpson and Webb McNali have been hootcd
| several times when they tried to argue against
| expansion. and many Of the Populist papers are
| denouncng any opposition TO the success oil our
| arms in the far East
| One hundred cars Of cattle were shipped from
| Garden City last week. They are bringing around
| six cents pound, the highest price the farmer
cat Ia went mi If las q
| in Kansas city for 500, 900. With all the corn
the farmer wants TO feed 10 his stock, there is no
takes to the fairs cornstaiks fifteen OF more feet
high a Methodist preacher from the East was
| the station, when there came in train with some
cornstaks eighteen feet high ten feet to The lowest
| Of the two ears thereon. He tried 10 reach the
"BrsthTcn1,," said he in the pulpit later in the
| day Il shall not.tell my people hack Fast about
this experience Of mine with your com. ! have
| reputation as truthful man there and although
have tried 70 live an upright and godly life they
| that are too much for the Eastern mind 10 grasp,
and this is one Of them
OF course Kansas , has exaggerated the size
| fake Photographs showing single ears Of corn
that roach the length Of a farm wagon and make
| large load for heavy team. Some of these
| have found there way into the Eastern papers,
and have been commented on gravely by the cdi-
| tors They are made by ingenious photographers
who take separate pictures Of corn and wagon.
making both of the same size: then by FASTING the
| corn over III" wagon ana re- phoWlE1iInlHR me
| whole truly deceptive view Is obtained. The
| introduction Of man apparently lifrs7c adds 10
the remarkable effect. Sometimes the picture is
| varied with representations Of huge pumpkins
and other vegetables constructed on the same
| principle they make interesting souvenirs TO send
| back 10 the folks OF the East
Itis a common remark that there is a difference
between the crowds that come into the celebrations
| now and those that attended the Popuist meet
| ings Of few years ago. The people are better
! dressed for one thing. The average farmer takes
pride in looking we'll AS he can: then. he seemed
| Ia take pride in making the worst Of his condition
| in order 70 ga n sympathy and show that he was
| dUwnrtddcn by the ever present octopus. The
| farmers daughters are better dressed than the
| town girls to-day, and they buy more and better
| millinery. They come in behind good horses in
| spick aud span buggies that are as shiny and
| new the clothes Of the driver. Sad one Of the
| leading vehicle dealers Of Kansas the other day:
| We are having n hard time 10 get enough new
! buEgieS for the country trade. We have been
| in business for twenty years in this town. and il
| is safe 10 say that have sold more bugEiCS III
| the past two ycHrs for cash than in all III" other
| eighteen years Of our business. We have ordctcd
carload after carload, and they have gone as fast
rs We got them: Most of them are purchased in
| thee try, and the farmers pay cash for them, too
| 1t is Of the NEST remarkable features OF the