Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-07-26
10 McDILL'S MUSINGS.
CROPS AND PESTS.

The wheat crop is now in tair way to yield
the railroad, elevator and "pit" a normal profit,
which is about twice as much as the farmer
gets for his trouble. Damage to farmers from
chiach.bngs and the Hessian fly is past. Dam.
age from the wingless pests is to come. The
latter damage will be far greater THAI the tor.
mer; in fact, the farmer has far more dread of
the wingless than the winged pest. The wing
ed pest dies; the wingless grows and fattens
apace. When the winged pest gobbles up the
farmers crops, the farmer has his soil left, but
when the wingless gobbes the crops, the farm
er has nothing left-but the ballot.b box, and so
far. the ballot. t.box is of about as much use to
hin, as the sphinx or the pyramids of Egypt.
In few words, the Eternal Providence has
been lavish in wheat returns. The Mckinley
providence is yet to hear from.
In the wise dispensaton Of Eternal Providence
there will be no corn in this section, not much
hay and very few cockle.burs. This is not All
uumixed evil. The land will have rest and
next yea, we will have "bumper," if we
manage to live till that time.
The situation is grave beyond precedent, and
men of thought are profoundly moved. There
is not an average of one.quarter ton of
teed per head for all the stock, now made, and
If it does not rain soon, much stock will perish
it not shipped out. There is no opening tor
stock in other places that have learned of.
In matters connected with corn and hay, the
wingless pests are Gin the soup" No corn, no
hogs OF cattle, and only few mules. In these
matters, the Mckinley providence will be re-
duced to the necessity of making living by
the sweat of his own brow, instead of the brow
of some other man.
This about covers the ground, for fruit and
garden stuff cut little figure IN the general toot'
iue.up of living; any way, both are failures.
To-day, we are face.to.face with great
calamity, which can only be averted through
rain. There will be great privation bordering
on starvation tor the very poor.
The Mckinley prosperity has gone the way
of the wicked. One crop failure has punctrred
the bubble, and the boast has vanished as snow
yau:shes in Hades. 1t is useless TO criticize or
comment IN so far as it will affect the present,
and the light from the lamp of the past sheds
no light on the pathway of the ignorant and
thoughtless; and yet, civilization rests upon the
garnered wisdom of the ages.
| seize the opportunity to build for the future.
From Abraham to Mckinley, drouths have,
from time 10 time, visited all countries. The
Eternal Providence is no respecter of persons
or races. 1t is universal law that land shall
have rest The inspired law-giver, Moses,
commanded the lsraelites to give their soil one
wears rest in seven. 1t is presumed thit six
crops would furnish the necessary srstenance
for seven years consumption. Six years labor
and one years rest is the ideal both tor man
and the soil. Are we wise than Moses? We
so assume; but the land takes its rest whether
we will or not.
Uuder our false and internal system Of COM
netitiou, we till and toll from generation to
generation to accumulate wealth, and, in the
end. the masses are worse off than if they lay
of one year in seven, or altogether.