Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-09-30
HOW KANSAS HAS RISEN.


Kansas--twice as strong and more
than twice as rich: the achievement
of only fifteen years. Loyal to their
state as all Kansans are, how, many
of them realize that great accom-
plishment? 1t is probably the big
gest continuous all-along-the-line adj
vance made by any American com
monweath in the last quarter-cen-
fury, and the genuinely inspiring
story Of it is told in Hampton's Maya
zine, where G. w. Ogden handles the
subject in a manner that will not only
interest the entire country, but should
appeal to the pride Of every citizen
Of our own state.
IF the North Pole is ever reach
ed" says Mr.. Ogden, "it will be by a
Kansas man, carrying the advertise
ment Of his state. The Kansas press
agent represents, every day in the
year, one million six hundred thou
sand people. He has been on the
Job fifteen years, and in that time
has reclaimed eighty thousand square
miles of territory, an expanse bigger
than the kingdom of many kind.
His name Is Foster Dwight Coburn,
Secretary Of the State Board Of Agri-
culture, and savants In agricultural
stoop to listen and learn, bend to-
ward him from all quarters Of the
globe, hand to ear, when he, the most
useful person within the borders OF
the state. begins to talk.
"Coburn can get out crop bulletin
on part or all of the state, accurate,
dependable. in a few days. When
Coburn says the acreage Of county
or a number OF counties Is such a
figure, II isn't an estimate. It - q
fact, down to the fraction Of an acre.
kansas produces more wheat than
any other state, or any tract Of coun-
try Of equal area In the world. Its
crop reports, acreage and prospects
influence the markets Of the earth.
Because Of this well-known fact It is
supposed that wheat Is the big crop
in Kansas. Coburn says: Com
ipared in value and Importance with
her corn. wheat is a side issue, and
but one Of the secondary items, the
worth Of which must be aggregated
to even approach the value Of corn.
II is our wheat that makes US ia
nous, our corn that makes us, rich.
In almost any year three or four Of
! the more northern Of the states one
hundred and five counties produce
more corn than the entire Dominion
Of Canada.
| "As far back as 1899 the Kansas
corn yield was greater than that Of
all the New England States, New
York, New Jersey. Delaware, Michi-
gan, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida,
West Virginia, Maryland. Minnesota,
North and South Danota, Montana,
wyoming, New Mexico. Utah, Ore
gon. washington, California and Ok
llahoma combined. Five years later
Kansas produced more corn than all
New England, Pennsylvania, Mime
sofa and thirteen additional states
and territories.
"Coburn Is the original alfalfa man.
It took him q great many years to
bring the farmers Of his state around
to sowing il. They began only about
four years ago. but Kansas now leads
all other states IN alfalfa area and
production. coburn's returns for
llso7 showing 74s.o5o acres devoted
to this forage plant
Regarding the value Of Kansas
crops In this latest report, which he
calls Kansas. Her story and Stalls
I tea Coburn says:
FThe yearly value Of tie states
farm products ia over sl5e.ooo 900,
Or about l7s eoo. zoo n ezts.s q ne
rrris.l,. tonart value O. a' its
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