The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-27
FINDS NEW SPIRIT
James A. De Boer of Vermont
Comments on Topeka.
Finds a Marvellous Change in a
Few Years.
BOOST FOR WASHBURN
Has a Good Word to Say for
President Sanders.
Makes Trip Through Kansas in
an Automobile.

James A. De Boer, president of the
National Life Insurance company of
Vermont, a mammoth company with
an asset value of 100000 is in the
city today. He is making his head
quarters with the Merriam MORTGAGE
company at the Columbian building.
Mr.. De Boer came from Wichita to
Topeka with the Merriams in their big
touring car. He will leave the state
tomorrow on his way to the inter-
national peace conference at Chicago
where he has been appointed as dele
gate by the governor of Vermont.
In speakingof the city Mr.. De Boer
said:
1.-THE last time 1 was in Topeka
about ten years ago it was hardly pos
sible to move real estate. The city
was prosperous looking but under the
surface it was impossible to make
change of any kind. Real estate is
moving all the time and property is
showing great signs of life. The
financial standing and institutions are
right at the top and the credit is
much stronger. Values have in
letter and ealthier-building and i'm
provement shows a marked increase.
1 feel assured that Topeka has re-
ceived new spirit from some source
or other-and from the condition of
the country and the looks of the peo-
pie / can readily see where Topeka
has endless resources upon which to
draw her spirit and enthusiasm.
have heard time and again of the
beauty of this city and am now able
to view 1t. Your broad avenues and
beautiful parkings are undoubtedly
among the prettiest of any city in the
Union
In speaking of the public school
system in the state and the condition
of the colleges and the universities,
Mr.. De Boer was surprised at the
progress taken by Kansas and To-
peka. He said:
Back east we have hundreds of big
colleges and universities with large
endowments but let me tell you they
don't seem to have the spirit that you
people have here in Kansas. Take
YOUR local colIege-washburn 1 be-
lieve. The president of Washburn
college is well known all over the
east as an educator of high rank. And
your instructors in Washburn are all
high class men. In the east the col
leges are noted for their high class
of instruction-but 1 can see signs Of
note all over the names of your To-
peka educators The Agricultural
college at Manhattan is another In
stitution that has impressed me- OF
course Washburn is an example OF
the private endowed college. The
Agricultural college is an example or
a great state school. The buildings,
the equipment and the grounds of the
| school at Manhattan are the finest L
| have ever seen in all my travels over
the United States. Then have
noticed that your public school sys-
| tenn is marvellous compared with the
situation in the east-take Pennsyl-
| vania for instance. In Kansas you
have over seven million dollars for
! public school use-in Pennsylvania
| not a cent. This shows big ad-
vancement over the eastern states"
The National Life Insurance com
pany has millions of dollars invested
| in Kansas land. This company does a
big mortgage work in this state MI.
De Boer said this morning to State
| Journal reporter that at the present
time not one dollar was due on any
\ of their Kansas investments. This
shows a great prosperity in the state
and also spirit of care and business
| like knowledge on the part OF the
| land owners.
"Of course" said Mr.. De Boer. "our
business relies great deal upon our
cores ondence-that is our agents so
to speak. Now take the Merriam
company of your city-they are with
respondents we have in all of our SO
states. This company is reliable and
trustworthy in every way. They have
an excellent knowledge of the lands
and the estates of this great state"
Mr.. De Boer was greatly surprised
at the condition of the towns and cities
of Kansas. In the trip between WITCH
tia and Topeka in the Merriam car he
took a great interest in the roads, the
bridges, the farms and the towns and
cities. He said that out of all the Sc
states in which the company had in
vested its millions he considered Kan
sas the safest and the strongest The
National Life Insurance company has
a greater investment in Kansas than
any other state.