People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1893 — FLEEING CAPITAL. [ARTICLE]

FLEEING CAPITAL.

There is No Danger of Its Leaving as Profitable a Field as the State of Kansas. A New York daily paper prints a grotesque picture, which purports to represent a phase of the situation in Kansas. The principal figure is a plethoric money-bag marked “capital.” This is surmounted by a head with plug hat, has legs and arms attached, holds a sachel marked “capital, late of Kansas,” in one hand and a demoralized umbrella in the other. The face wears a look of the utmost consternation and the figure is running away as rapidly as possible and is pursued by a farmer with a pitch fork. This farmer is labeled “Populist.” The Kansas Farmer does not concern itself with the political aspect of the cartoon, but calls attention to a few considerations with reference to the supposed fleeing capital. Capital works for the man who owns it, and though proverbially "timid,” it fears no danger in the presence of gain. It likes the protection of civilization, bnt will invade barbarous or savage communities for the sake of profit. The owner of capital cannot pass a prosperous community without a feeling of avarice. Productive energies are looked upon as his ministering servants. Where great wealth is being produced the capitalist sees his opportunity. The record of Kansas for the production of wealth, the wheat crop of 1892 being nearly twice as large as that of any other state; the surplus of corn and other grains, and of live stock, make this state a field which the capitalist recognizes as a valuable one, a field in whose productions he must have a share. But to secure this share he must invest in the state, either as a lender or as a purchaser. The fact that during the extraordinary political turmoil of the last three years Kansas farmers have so diligently applied their energies as to greatly increase the aggregate productions of their farms, and to enormously increase the surplus to be exchanged for money outside of the state, gives the lie to the New York paper’s cartoon. This picture would be more in accord with the situation if it represented the farmer on his harvester and the capitalist looking over the line with longing eyes and inquiring how he can secure a share of the abounding harvest. Possibly some owners of money may have been frightened at the horrible stories sent out from Kansas, bnt the fact remains that shrewd investors who represent, or own great wealth are making loans at as low rates of interest as ever prevailed here, while others attracted by the wealth-yielding capacity demonstrated by our statistics of production are buying lands and engaging in the cultivation of the soil. No, capital is watching eagerly for the most favorable opportunity, and is fighting to make favosable openings for such investments in Kansas as will enable the owners of capital to share the wealth produced by our people.— Kansas Farmer. —The little band of populist patriots in this congress have done the people more service than either of the old parties, or both combined. They have saved to the people already the sum of $50,000,000 in appropriations and private bills, by keeping their eyes on snap legislation when certain boodlers wanted to get their hands into the public treasury.—St. Joseph (Mo.) Wasp.