Evening star., 1936-06-23
The Story of Aft NJ. Landon
Chapter IX-Relief for Kansas.
BY RICHARD b. FOWLER.

Dx N1SnhnD ID. EoW LEN.
HLUE skies in Kansas, eternally
- blue skies and sun that beat
down with temperatures at 112
- in the shade-Kansas in 1894
went into the worst drought in its
history, with month-in and month
out temperatures that made the old
timers forget about the hot year of
1901.
Pastures turned brown, then white
like sand. Wells went dry. Ponds
dried up. Beds Of streams were
cracked dry earth. Farmers hauled
water in barrels for miles drove cat
tie more miles tc remaining steams.
Corn fields shriveled; chaffy leaves
of brown fodder floated away in the
southwest wind.
1t was the same drought that tiev-
astated large part of the farm crops
in half the area Of the United States,
but in few States did it reach such
intensity as in Kansas, where nothing
was left-nothing that could be fed
left standing in the fields.
1t was such an emergency in 1894
cooperation between the agencies of
the State and Federal Governments.
Funds for a nationwide relief prob
lem and widespread drought problem
necessarily were dispersed through
Washington, but it was fast becoming
clear that the quality of aid in any
State depended very largely on the
quality of its State Administration.
Realized Necessity Early.
How much of the drought relief
program actually originated because
of the influence of the Governor OF
Kansas is known only to the men at
Washington, who had the last word
in putting it into effect. Gathering
his reports from all over the State
and the Middle West, Gov. Landon
recognized comparatively early in the
1884 drought that something had to
be done or the farmers would be
forced to sell off all their live stock,
leaving their future resources swept
clean. kilograms few back and
forth between Topeka and Washing
ton.
August IA, 1894, Gov. Landon wired
Henry Wallace, Secretary of Agricul-
ture, informing him that plans al
ready were under way in Kansas to
control feed prices and credit to the
farmers through purchases by nom
profit corporation. The plan made 1t
possible for the farmers to keep their
best breeding stock If similar plan
were being contemplated at Washing
ton, he would delay action. Septem-
ber IA, one month later, the Federal
plan, similar to that proposed by
Landon. was announced from Wash
ington.
Meeting the situation at home, Gov.
Landon and other Kansans succeeded
in getting the Kansas quota for pur-
chases of drought-stricken cattle in
creased from 5000 head daily to
5000. Kansas originated and carried
through a culling program, which
made practical basis for saving the
best breeding stock from the packers.
Got A. A. A. Concessions.
Landon called on his friends among
the oil producers to turn their pumps
over to the State for use in pumping
water to central watering places for
cattle in the devastated regions. He
looked to the next year, asking and
receiving concessions from the A. A. A.
which made it possible for the farm
ers to put restricted lands in wheat.
Harry Hopkins, Federal relief ad-
ministrator, said the Kansas drought
relief plan was among the best In his
experience.
Previous action taken in 1888
helped the 1884 situation. A corn
warehousing act had been passed,
which had made it possible for farm
ers to store corn on their farms
and take advantage of Federal loans.
The 100000 bushels of stored corn
was to help in the emergency OF
1884. Also in 1888 State and county
committees were appointed to help
the farmers and home owners with
the adjustment of their debts. A
farm moratorium gave time necessary
for working out the adjustments to
the advantage of both debtors and
creditors.
Gov. Landon's background Of oil
production may have accounted for
the indications that he was one of