The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1914-03-12
Mr.. WILLIAMS PAYS
HIGH TRIBUTE TO OLD
STATE OF KANSAS

Canonite might be OF Interest to
some OF your readers, ! submit the
following:
With burning desire to visit my
father and mother and other rela-
tives and friends and to look once
more on the scenes OF my childhood,
left Canon City by the D. 4 X. G.
at 80 O'Clock Thursday afternoon. the
18th inst. Left Pueblo mt about 4:30 IN
the evening over the Missouri Pacific.
SO came into Kansas by the back
door. SO to speak.
As We were hurled along I couldn't
help but think OF the difference in the
mode OF travel in this day from that
OF fifty years ago. Now the only thing
TO disturb your repose is the snoring
of your neighbor or the soft, musical
voiceof the porter rs he calls the
name OF the station: and then-well.
ii might be the crack Of the rifle or
the Indian warwhoop- 1t was from
some such reverie as this that ! was
aroused by the porter's voice: Gen
e-se-ol Change cars for Wichita.
Fort Scott" etc. II seemed to me We
had barely entered the Great Ameri-
can Desert" and here we were across
il.
AS l got off at Geneseo to change
cars l found It was raining and snow
ing-a pleasant combination espe-
cially for n Canonite.
Reached Wichita about $3.50 on the
morning Of the 2oth. As was CON-
PEELED to lay over till afternoon. I
proceeded to see the sights Of the
Peerless Princes" Wichita has i'm
proved marvelously in the fifteen
years since ] saw Il. II has n popula-
tion OF about 6o.o0o. II has some
magnificent business blocks and resi-
dences and the new union station
would be a credit to a much larger
city.
At 3 o'clock / left for Fort Scott.
my destination. Now am TO get my
first real view Of Kansas. Night had
shut out my view so far. Dear old
Kansas, Ny heart swells with pride
as see unmistakable signs OF pros
perity on every Understanding
wheat fields. giving promise Of bread
and to spare" for the coming year:
large and thrifty looking barns and
farm houses. and cattle on thou-
sand hills" all whisper peace and
prosperity. Although Kansas last year
experienced one OF the worst drouths
in her history. she surely doesn't show
IL now.
Now. Mr.. Editor. hope you will
excuse me II ! "gush- a little over
Kansas. II is my native state. Here
was bred-"and buttered." AZ
Bishop Mcintyre would put IL. know
something OF the hardships OF the
early days In Kansas. Besides this. ]
have been reading a story OF the early
days of Kansas. in the SOS. when no
mans life was safe, and especially n
free state mans life: the days that
gave to the state the name Of bleed
ing Kansas" that stuck 80 long.
But those days are gone. and
would Ike to say forgotten; and in
peace. prosperity and progress she
leads all other states. She has the
greatest wealth per capita and the
fewest criminals and paupers. Why?
Because she has stood for the right
on all the great moral questions that
confronted her. and who shall say
how much is owing to those pioneers
Of the SOS who were weighed In the
balances and not found wanting"
Yes. I'm proud OF Kansas; but
won't say anything about the weather
this time. The fact is haven't paid
much attention to the weather and
am mot prepared to report.
Yours truly.