The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-14

A GREAT CHANCE FOR KANSAS
Kansas is confronted with a golden
opportunity. It is to be found in the
right kind Of vigorous cooperation
between the live communities OF the
state and the Santa Fe Railroad com"
pany In the campaign which tho ht-
ter proposes to undertake to increase
the farming and Industrial popula-
ton OF the commonwealth.
AZ a preliminary move In this d.
rection. the Santa Fe proposes to di1-
tribute in other sections OF the cQun-
try q Forthcoming issue OF its asri-
cultural and Industrial magazine. The
Earth, which will be devoted espe-
ciaMy to the resources of the great
Sunflower state. and showing its won
derful facilities and unusual advan-
tages. Through this issue such capa-
burn, secretary OF the state depart
ment of agriculture: Professor Miller
Of the state agricultural college. and
Charles M. Harger, the versatile editor
Of the Abilene Reflector. will present
the facts and figures to show Kansas
as she is Not only are these men
qualified in every way to speak for
their home state. but each Of them Is
we'll known far beyond the borders Of
Kansas in every direction. and they
have established regulations for in
tegrity that viii give weight to the
pictures Of Kansas that they see At to
paint. The circulation Of this num-
ber Of The Earth will be followed by
h> %,,y ~ hA
Santa Fe's colonization department.
But the Santa Fe should not be ex-
pected to work alone in this COM
mendable endeavor. 1t should have
the hearty assistance of every wide
awake community in the state. Of
their commercial clubs and boards Of
trade and all Of the other existing
agencies that are concerned In the
boosting Of Kansas. With such as
sistance. the Santa Fe's campaign is
certain to bear much rich fruit. With
out It, the returns are not likely to
be nearly so large.
For the past few years. thousands
and thousands Of homeseekers have
been carried yearly by the Santa Fe
and the other railroads almost straight
through Kansas to the southwest and
the gulf country in their quest for de-
sirable locations Only a handful of
them, compared with the whole num-
ber have stopped off in Kansas to
look around. And the reason for this
has been that Kansans have been ex-
ceedingly lax in exploiting the almost
incompatible and innumerable ad-
S-I, o>A
among those who are of a mind to
seek new fields for their agricultural
and Industrial endeavors. and particu-
larly the former.
Except for winter" Strawberries,
early truck and tropical fruits. Kan
sas land permits of as diversified
farming as any OF the land in the
southwest that has been advertised so
extensively. Kansas soil is as produc-
tive as the best. 1t is easily farmed.
The conditions here are the best for
the pursuit of animal husbandry. And
the horticultural possibilities of the
state, especially as far as raising ap-
pies is concerned, have scarcely been
scratched.
Yet with all these facilities Kansas
has been sitting idly by and watching
the railroads haul almost numberless
prospective settlers In one door and
out the other on their way to agricul-
tural sections, the best of which are
not any better than much of Kansas,
and the average of which is not nearly
so good.
This doesn't jibe very well with the
good sense and perspicacity OF which
Kansans generally are possessed.