Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-01-21
Belt, but they talk Of the whole
State heinu Wheat and I have

llO lCaSOn " AOCSVAVu VAVaA
right to do so for it is very
plain that Wheat is their stand
ard crop, for the corn-stalks are
not such as we see in Iowa.
One thing that pleased me was
the fact that the wheat fields
along this line indicated that
the farms are not over size, but
that they are owned and cpe-
rated by what we would call
small farmers. The most no.
ticeable evidence of the recent
bumper crop for which Kansas
has become so noted was in the
numerous straw stat Ks to be
seen ali along the line. / talk
ed with q number of farmers
who got on the train at differ.
ent points along the line, and
fcu,,d that as long as they
could keep me talking about
the present conditions in Kan.
sas, they were very optimistic,
but the moment ] 81 ggested the
pos Utility of hnr winds enc
lack of grain, thew began tc
apologize for the psst ard ex-
quite fear for the flu
ture. TIE fact is the create
trouble with Kansas farmers is
that they are obliged to depend
so largely on one crop, and so
liable to have failure from the
hot winds and lack of grain. So
far, these trobles seem to be in
However, the
present crop looks we'll, and
vast acreage is sown, so that
there is every reason to hope
the people may have another
successful season, and if so, the
Kansas farmers wife will be
wearing diamonds in addition
to riding in her automobile as
she is doing on account of the
crops this year. That reminds
me, that the Kansas roads,
while not as good as l expected
to see them, show very plainly
that the people are planning to
have a great system for the
work they are doing is of the
permanent kind and evidently
being directed by experts who
know their business.
We reached Wichita in the
early evening, and l was quite
surprised to see the many evi
dences of great prosperity, for
as rule, we discount the claims
of boom cities pbout so per Gel I
at least, but in this case | was
forced to admit that Wichita
appears to be very nearly up tc
what her proud citizens claim
for her. 1t is certainly a wide.
awake and enterprising city,
ard the residences and public
improvements of various kinds
are satisfactory evidence that
the people are wide awake and
doing something. By the way,
it may be interesting to many
of our readers to know that ]
had the pleasure of talking over
the phone with Robert G. Pow.
ers, who will be remembered by
many of our people as the mar
who was Familiarity known as
"Rob" and who wore the smile
that would rot come eff. | was
pleased to have him tell me that
he was prospecting, has a good
home, two flats and a good farm,
and he is attending strictly Il
business.
After leaving Wichita, we
began to see evidences of a
change of soil and farming con-
ditions. ard before we realized
it, we were in Oklahoma, where
we had an pie opportunity tc
become familiar with that sick
Iy, yelloWish, reddish, muckle.
dun, god for nothing soil fol-
which Oklahoma has become
noted as we'll as notorious. l,
looks like a j Ike to call it q
farming country. / talked with
several farmers and found that
after they had become satisfied
that | had no notion of invest.
ing in Oklahoma lands. that
they realize it is 20 joke to try
to farm in that country, but
that it is a reality with all the
chances against them. They
simply are short on water; they
cannot get it from the heavens
and cannot get it from the low
err regions either, so they ale in
a hopeless condition as far as
can SEE, and yet, the industrious
and ever present land boomer
is sending broadcast ov the
country Ethiopian reports OF
the great accomplishments Of
the farmers. | talked with one
farmer who had been there