Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-02-08

and massachusetts,, yet this wide eX-
panse OF country has no experiment
station, except an Insignificant branch
near Garden City, the state appropria-
tion for which the present year is 81,
800. This station at Manhattan, in
operation 26 years, had funds for the
fiscal years ending June 30, 1912 a.
mounting to $4,000. Its work. of
tremendous value, is very largely in
applicable to the west because done
under very different conditions. Tho
Hays branch, established in 1901, has
state appropriation of s1S,sOO for
1913 It is in the central third of the
state, entirely too remote from many
western counties to render the most
valuable service. Thus it is seen that
out of the funds annually available
for state experimental work approx
mating SSS, 900, the 81 western coun-
ties are given, directly, but 81, 500.
Moreover, out of more than 6 million
dollars appropriated by the legisla-
ture of 1911 for the unexpired portion
of that year, and for the fiscal years
1912 and 1913, the western fifth of the
state was allotted $500, which was
for the station near Garden City
This million dollars does not in
clude appropriations to regents,
boards, state house officials and en-
ployes. Aside from being properly
entitled to such helpfulness as the
state has been and is rightly render
ing in full measure to other sections
through the stations at Manhattan
and Hays, the western fifth of Kan
sas pays an annual state tax amount
ing to thousands of dollars for which
no adequate return is made. In
equity it should derive greater direct
benefits from its taxes No more
judicious expenditure of public mon
ey could be made than in upbuilding
and expanding agriculture in that
portion, learning just what the re-
gion is capable of, and determining
the crops and methods best adapted
to conditions as they are.
AS geologiSts proclaim that mex
haustible water underlies western
Kansas, irrigation by pumping should
be literally encouraged and promot-
ed by the state, in exploring the
water supply, testing its efficiency,
de demonstrating at public expense the
most efficient and economical pump
ing equipment, and determining just
what the possibilities are, what sys-
TENS are best, and their cost Irriga-
tion is mighty aid to agriculture,
and wherever the subterranean
waters can be economically lifted So
per-acre land is at once transformed
into 800 and 5000 land. With water
rightly applied at the right times all
western Kansas soils will yield prodi-
giously a diversity of products, under
ideal circumstances for maturing in
the finest condition.
If the state is ever to take hold in
a broad-gauged and comprehensive
way to help make western Kansas
more and better than it is
has been, we should begin forthwith.
The welfare of the western border
should be given the same helpful
by the state as is the
east. This would not only contribute
to the welfare of those
there, but open up opportuni-
ties that will invite larger numbers
of those who seek to have lands and
homes of their own. Prosperity there
will mean a better and a greater
Kansas, for whatever benefits one
portion of the state will rebound to
the welfare of the who'e. Let US at
least be fair, even if we are not gener-
Gus with the western counties.-F.
d. Coburn, Farmers Mail and Breeze.