The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-17
STOP The Wall.
T.. ID. COburn Says There il Too
Much Calamity Talk.
Kansas No Worse Of Than
Other States.
is DOING MUCH HARM.
Gives Strangers a Wrong I'M
preston of the State.
People Do Not Live by Corn
Alone.

Secretary Coburn, OF the state board
OF agriculture. il very hopeful Of the
situation in Kansas in spite of the
drouth. He has given out the follow
ing interview:
las the situation presents itself to
me there are entirely too many calana-
ity stories of a sensational character
being printed at home and wired
abroad about Kansas, and the effect
cannot fail to be immensely and I'M
justhably harmful
This sort of thing has gone to Such
lengths that strangers believe the state
is about to be abandoned or largely
depopulated, and even some of our own
people are losing their p0ise and bus1-
ness sagacity to the extent of unneces-
Sarily parting. at ruinous prices, with
valuable breeding stock and sim liar
accommodations upon which their pros
perity would depend for the next
decade, and that cannot be replaced by
years Of effort and economy. Com
pared with this q shortage in the
hOped-fOr corn crop and the drying up
of the pastures, although unfortunate,
is of minor consequence.
Being surrounded by a vast agricul-
tural area where dry and hot weather
has for weeks been working disaster
to such crops as grass, corn. oats and
potatoes, kanSanS could scarcely ex-
pect theirs to be immune, and very
naturally they are sharing to some ex-
tent in the unusual and unreasonable
neighbors and causing them to unite in
organizations to pray for the procras-
innate rainfall.
mo one with any but a superficial
knowledge of the situation pretends
that the corn crop viii not be griev-
ously shortened, whatever the future
weather may be. There will doubtless
be some cOrn-nObOdy knows how much
or how little, but only a fraction of
the monster crop we planted for 80
days ago, and such as Kansas raises,
ordinarily. We have lost no corn crop
this year, as we cannot lose what we
have not yet possessed. But Kansas,
premier corn state though she is, and
valuable as her great corn crops usual
~ are, does not live by corn alone. and
her prosperity is by no means wrapped
up in the husxs of even this wondrous
plant The making or losing of any
crop has long since ceased to be more
than an incident in her business career
Besides, according to complete re-
turns from 30 counties in the state
over $1,000 600 bushels of old corn was
on hand in March. or more than one
fifth of last years total crop, and this
showing doubtless will be considerably
increased when the other fifteen coun-
ties are heard from, including such
heavy and reliable corn-yielders as
Atchison, Brown, Dickinson, Elk, Geary,
Jackson, Montgomery, Reno, Shawnee
and Woodson, all usually holding over
a large surplus, and this year will
probably find them no exception.
with a plethora of money in banks
eager for borrowers, old corn on hand,
two excellent cuttings of alfalfa al
ready harvested and a third well ad-
vanced; large areas planted to the
great Weather-resisting kafiir corn,
well bred herds and fiocks and DIARIES,
and having harvested in perfect condi-
ton the greatest crop of choice wheat
ever grown anywhere. Kansas farmers
are, or ought to be, comfortable, and
many are certainly reposing on f1owery
beds of ease It is difficult to imagine
that they should register complaints
when a kindly Providence has dealt so
generously with them year in and year
out.
Lest we forget how nature has Law
ished her bounties upon the industrious
Kansas husbandmen it is appropriate
to suggest that in the past five years
the value of their $50, 600 bushels of
corn has been $751; OO0. O00 of their $780,
600 900 bushels of wheat, $145, 000, 0OO of
live stock products marketed. $3.50 0O0,-
600. and so on to the end of long list
of matchmaking products for which
the state is famous to the ends of the
earth
mo matter in what line of endeavor
engaged all is not profit nor. sunshine.
The butcher, the baker and candle
stick-maker. the merchant, banker,