The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1916-01-21
IT'S True. and Pity It's

chortling gleefuIlv during the last
few weeks that Kansas is out of debt
The last piece OF paper" has been
burned at Topeka, aud the rest of he
world is supposed to grow green with
envy over our alleged accomplishment.
We stand in listening attitude
awaiting the plaudits OF an admiring
universe, and already we are begin
ming to grow little cramped from
standing in Z position, for curious
ly enough the fact has caused no
seismic disturbance. 81 far as We can
learn the people of Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont and 80 or 40
other states have been able to restrain
their jealous manifest ations. None
of them has suffered apoplectic strokes
bee Iuse we are out of bebt. We
have heard of no great publications
that have rushed reporters to Topeka
to ascertain how we did it. Nobody
seems to care.
But it is true we are out of deJt.
In the meantime
Within those imaginary lines that
separate us from the rest of this be-
nighted land, we have abont 100000
miles of public highways that are
among The poorest in he world.
They are full OF draws and chuck
holes and ruts, and low places that
shuu d be high, and high places that
should be low, and they are costing
us several million dollars annually in
wasted energy and expensive market
ing of our agricultural products. But
we are out OF debt.
In Kansas last year eight out of
nine babies b I'm in our highly solvent
commonwealth died before reaching
Une age of one year, while we were
complacently paying off our humiliat-
ing obligations, and preparing to
stupefy the rest of the inhabitants
with our remarkable accomplish
meat.
Many Kansas counties during the
year 1915 refused to pay widows pen
sions, announcing this was work
The state should do, but the state has
been 50 busy gel ting ready to bum
its debts in etligy that IL has had no
time nor money for such details.
Some of the benighted nations OF the
old word have been able TO accom-
piish this a generation ago, because
they have not been in such hurry
to get out of debt.
During the last year and during ev-
cry year preceding, The average num-
Der of bushels OF wheat raised per
acre in Kansas was among, the lowest
in the United States about IL. bush
els-but the state couldn't afford TO
find out what's the matter, or direct
its great machinery towards educat-
ing The growers to raise more busL els
to the acre, for it is obsessed with
the idea that it must keep out OF
dent
Everywhere Kansas is advert ised as
the greatest agricultural state, but
goes on raising one blade OF grass
where Germany and Holland and Bel
GUM are raising five or six. This is
of no concern to the cheap Topeka
81 atesmen who are engaged in keep
ing out Cf debt for campaign purpO-
seS.
West of the Tooth principal merid-
ian in Kansas there are millions OF
acres of the richest land the sun
shines on, capable of producing Oil-
lions in crop wealth; hut it lies unde-
veoped because of the water prob
lem. IL temporarily lucid moment
the cheap statesmen at one time ap'
pointed an irrigation board, but after
it had served year or two the sta es
men developed ehnui or something
and nothing more has ever cen done
But we are keeping out OF de 1t, al
right.
In the last len wears a score of rhC
brightest eduGai ors in the country
have left the University of Kansas Il
be snapped up by institutions in Othe
states at higher salaries heeNuse ",
were engaged in getting out of debt
and have been more fnteres, ed in thi
project than in educating the you'll
of the state.
A score OF our state institutions ar
overcrowdsd and insdequately SUP
ported because our cheap, statesmen
2 have had defective evesight and cnul
see nothing larger than the next cam
I paign.
But we don't owe anythlng-tha
Is, except to future generations, froI
which We shall proceed to collect, a
the ShylOek among commonwealth
usurions interest at the rate of sbou
100 per cent per aDnum, If we pursu
n