The Washington herald., 1910-07-17

of the map I came East with a com
mittee and asked Jay Gould to give us
a branch line OF the Missouri Pacific and
defy Wichita. We were penned in more
than we liked. and wanted TO get out
Finds salt Wells Pay.
Next. we raised money and bored for
oil Struck salt-rock salt. in a vein sew
eral hundred feet thick Chemists said
it was exceptionally good and. workable.
An expert came on from the New York
salt belt. He agreed to spend S25,000 and
experiment. I saw him put down a num-
Der OF side tracks. That aroused my sus-
picions. The >tracks, he said. are one
Of my mistakes. I frequently miscaI-
culate. Just the same, ] kept my eyes
open Salt was then S2.25 a barrel. Be-
fore the news got out, the New York man
had made a lot OF money. other salt
makers came flocking in. Inside of two
years we had sixteen salt wells
Then the price was cut to s. cents
n barrel, which was 10 cents less than
the cost Of production. Wells were shut
down and factories were shut up. Many
men were thrown out OF work. Finally,
all Of the wells and factories were con-
solldated and Hutchinson had a salt trust.
L btkdA 70 EEIENk hHOn tie 6ikH4 lib4is
Salt went to 81 a barrel, which was too
much. Thus ] got my first lesson in
monopoly. I discussed the subject In
my newspaper Prices. could see.
ought to be controlled. But how?
stumbled at a question that the country
has been stumbling over ever since.
AT that time, corn was II cents a
bushel. Farmers were burning it in the
place of wood. I asked the presidents OF
the railways to reduce the freight rate
to Chicago. Sent them a bulky petition
signed by farmers. Swivel chair jour
nalists politicians, and business men
laughed at Easley. But I got meeting
with the presidents. After that, corn
was sent 20 Chicago for 3 cents less. I
was learning how 10 bring men together
on matters that concerned them, per-
sonally. Doubtless I was doing some.
thing for the general good, but pri-
marily. and confess it, my main object
was to boom the Daily News
Killed Liquor Movement.
Prohibition was particularly strong at
that period IN Kansas. The rum power
could be whscked with applause any day
In the week. l was an honest prohi-
bitionist myself. however, and a watch
man uii AllC NslAADs do II were All GAilVE
in Kansas City began to urge the gov
ernor TO call the legislature in special
session so that resolution might be
passed resubmitting the liquor question
to the voters of the State. In conse-
quence thereof the war was on again
in Kansas. Men fought, bled, and died
In the trenches. And likewise some Of
the women. At the psychological mo-
ment-a threadbare phrase. but rather
expressive-I sent letters TO the members
OF the legislature asking how they would
vote on the question If given the chance.
Three-fourths of the entire membership
Immediately replied that they would live
and die prohibitionists. Down with the
proposed resolution, they yelled with pen
and ink I printed the letters on the first
) page of my newspaper. and thus killed
the liquor movement by a single big and
unexpected shot one editor called me
the Joseph Pulitzer of Kansas. I denied
the charge publicly, but confessed it to
myself.
Life, some one has said. is one darned
thing after another. Troubles are hitch
cd tandem. frequently, / have known
them to come in a bunch. Populism now
began to rear les head west of the
Mississippi River. always say rear its
head when want to be dramatic or i'm
pressive. In my judgment, as a Repub-
ncan. popuhsm was dangerous The ag-
rIeulturlsts were disconnected.
''I always kept close 10 the people. and
when a man talked 10 himself or IN his
sleep my ears were so sharp that I heard
what he said. AS an editor and party
worker. but principally In the former
character. persuaded three or four men
whom knew to join the Farmers Al