The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-26

state than they were plunged with the
rest of the nation into the Civil war.
Kansas furnished a larger quota, con-
slcerlng her population, for the north
ern army than any state of the Union.
At one time the governor wrote to the
president that more than half of all the
youths and men of the state between
g and SIS years of age were in the
army.
How Railroads Helped.
THE Civil war extended the time
during which Kansas was being born,
from half a decade to a full decade
During this time it was impossible for
agriculture to prosper, for enterprise
to be encouraged, for the population
to grow. Not until 1856 when the
railroads began to be built did the
prosperity which is now in evidence
first show itself. The population of
Kansas in 1865 was $4,000; by 1870
it had increased to 10000, doubling
itself; between 1870 and 1880 the in
crease was 500. 900; between 1880 and
1890, 461, 900; between 1890 and 1900,
only $4,000. In 1888 the population
had reached the number of 1,51S,0 900;
II. 1895 it had fallen to 1,334,000- In
1890. it increased to 1,47O.O 600 and in
1910 to 1,69O,000.
THE growth of Kansas which had
had SO little chance in its early history,
was greatly aided by the railroads. The
mileage of the state increased from
miles in 1904, but even during this pc
riod Kansas suffered a number of en-
barrassments. From 1854 to 1870. and
later, from 1874 to 1878, Indian hos
tilities brought about a loss of at least
one thousand Kansans. In 1874 came
the invasion of locusts; and then in
the half decade, between 1888 and
1892, there was a serious decline in
the population loss of nearly 200,
600. The progress of the state was
CIV aI,a
be found chiefly in the collapse of
building and loan speculations, in
which there had been a vast waste of
money
Fifteen years of unbroken prosper
ity had led to a reckless exploiting of
towns in eastern Kansas, and there was
a carnival issue of bonds and the con-
tracing of all sorts of liabilities More
than this, western Kansas suffered
from the failure of the annual rain
fall Many emigrants had been lured
into the semi-arid region, towns were
built up, but with the recurring
drouths, the struggling settlers found
starvation facing them; they deserted
their houses and their towns, and
western Kansas became a wide, unpop-
ulated expanse.
''And Kansas Is a Great State''
Since that time the scientific know
ledge of agriculture has increased to
such point that the dry farming of
the semiarid land of this state is one
OF its achievements, and today we have
Kansas prosperous. Kansas is, of
course, an agricultural state. Its ru-
raj population, that is, the population
included in the country and towns.
having less than 250,000 inhabitants,
is 1,197,159, while it's urban population
is 493,790. This shows a percentage
of urban population of % per cent
while the percentage in the United
States is As per cent. But while the
rural population is SO much larger,
Kansas has not escaped the movement
from the country to the city, for in
the last ten years, while the population
increased but 10 per cent the urban
population increased SO per cent and
the rural population only 7.3 per cent.
THE total farm acreage in Kansas
in 1910 was 43,261, ,600-an increase
in the last ten years of IA per cent. |
The improved acreage was 20, So, 900, |
or an increase in the last ten years of |
had increased from 173, ,09S to III, |
The values of farm land in Kansas |
had increased from 32,1SS,000 in |
1900 to 1,534,552, 900, an increase of |
farm had increased in value 70 per |
cent while the implements and ma |
chinery had increased 64 per cent in |
the same time. This shows a very |
great increase of wealth in the last ten /
years. It is due both to the actual in
vestment of money, in the improve |
ment of farm lands, and in the prob /
able increase of the supply of gold, |
which increases all prices, but chiefly |
in the increases of prices of farm pro- |
ducts which has been most marked in /
the last decade. These figures show
a general state of contentment and
happiness.
Trials Give Character.
THE trials through which the state |
has come have undoubtedly given q
character to it's inhabitants. They are
bold and original in thought, cour-
ageous in execution. One may differ |
upon politics or upon other issues, but
he must respect the sincerity and the |
energy, independence and courage with
which they support their conclusions
and carry them to their logical result.
1t was to be expected that people of
the enterprise and intelligence and ex-
perience and trials and sufferings that
he Kansas people had could give ear
~ attention to the spread of intel1
gence and to the education of their
children. I cannot stop to dwell upon
The attention given in this state to the
ssta bIiShment of schools, the founda-
ion of colleges and the maintenance
IF the university. It is sufficient to
oe expected from people with such
! history.
Il have thus hastily sketched the
history of Kansas in the last half CEN
ury. Time would not permit me to
90 more in detail It is history of
intense interest The burning issue of
he two great contending parts Of the
United states was distilled into an es-
'ence in the birth and growth of Kan
ias to a state. She furnished the bat
leground where the contending fac
ions of the entire nation in a guerrilla
var tried by wager of battle to main
ain their respective causes. She was
,orn in struggle and her early years
we're only those of suffering and ira
rail. In the half century of her life
IS a state she has now reached great