The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-17
KANSAS CONAENT
ANOMALY OF RURAL PROS

| PERITY.
The remarkable prosperity of rural
districts IN most middle-western states
mas had the anomalous effect of dim
inishing population, according to the
judgment of E. Dana Durand, director
or the census. 1t is not altogether a
new idea. though it is worth while to
hay- Mr.. Durand's emphasis of it,
since he has just come from complet-
ing the great task of demonstrating,
which has brought to light the fact
of decreased country population in
some states The fact is that in the
last ten years the value of farm land
in states like Missouri, Indiana, Ohio,
Iowa, Michigan, Illinois and Nebraska
mas increased on an average of 104
per cent, and this very prosperity,
Wh1ie IL mas been tremendous adj
vantage TO these states has operated
to reduce rather than increase their
rural population. Farmers, especially
the younger men, have preferred to
buy cheaper land elsewhere, selling or
mortgaging their high-priced land at
conditions will bring about a complete
and wholesome reimbursement. The
fact of chief interest is that these
states have this great land.
In Missouri, where the farming
communities showed a diminished
population, Champ Clark seized upon
the situation to make politics out of it.
He capitalized the assertions that the
government, through the census de-
partment, was playing politics in his
state. The puerility of this readily be-
comes apparent when it is known that
similar results were found in other
states where democracy can claim
little as compared with its strength in
Missouri.
The people of these states, which go
to form the richest farming territory
in the world, would never think of al
lowing this condition to mar their
hope of great increase in population
and advance along all. lines. 1t is
condition that really amounts to no
harm, but much good. 1t simply goes
to show how steadily we are pushing
the outposts of our west and that, of
course, means construction. The tide
of migration GIBBS and flows, banking
now here and now there, but it never
becomes stagnant In the great move
ment of settlers now in progress these
middle states are bound to share, and
they probably will show up with even
Unbalanced rural populations. In the
meantime by helping to build up
newer states farther west they will
have contributed to the creation of
new markets and sources of supply
Abilene Reflector.
MARTY RS.
Insurance men, interviewed in New
York after the disaster of a week ago
last Saturday, said that great good
would come out of it. The laws would
be bettered and the inspection service
made efficient.
The Iroquois theater fire set theater
arrangements throughout the country
stampeding to provide exits and to
hang asbestos curtains. After the fire
in Collinwood, Ohio, in which I'll
children died, school buildings were
examined everywhere and adequate
provision made for escape in the event
of an outbreak of flames, says the To-
Iedo Blade.
1t is a pitifu1 thing that this is the
way that mankind must learn great
lessons in caution and prevention. 1t
is the story of Baltimore, of San Fran
cisco, New Orleans had to suffer the
alarms of a yellow fever epidemic
and the depression of it's industry and
business before it could bring itself to
take heroic treatment for the epidem-
ic. The long reign of typhoid in Pitts
burg was not ended until pettifogging
politics and the whining of taxpayers
were silenced by the shadow of death.
Justice was not seated in Cincinnati
again until the miscarriage of justice
had reused the mob and sent crooked
officers of the law sinking through
alleys for their lives.
Every one of the 142 women who
were burned to death or crushed to
death on Saturday, was a martyr to
civilization But the cruel thing of it
is that there should be martyrs
Atchison Champion.