The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14
WHAT TEXAS NEEDS AND HOW
TO GAIN IT.

People, and editors are of the people,
are apt to go mad. They get an idea into
their heads, like the Credit Aobllier OF back
salary grab, and there is not room enough
for another. 1t is an axiom in mathematics,
applicable in this case, that no two sub
stances can occupy the same space at the
same time. Crania are not all capacious
enough to contain the two propositions
that if a ring have plundered the State, all
who ask the States assistance are not neces-
sarily rogues, and all railway companies are
not constituted of thIeyes. Besides there
are very ignorant people in the world who
have not yet learned what the country owes
to railways. One great highway in Texas
would be better than none, even though it
might kob and wrong the people and con-
troll the Legislature and absolutely rule the
State. 1t should have rivals to regulate its
rates of charges and watch it when its
lobby comes down to Austin. Therefore
the Jefferson Leader lectures on the subject
of railways and says:
Why is the whole North, east of the Mis-
sissippi, so much more prosperous than the
South2 Why are lands there so much more
valuable? What has built up her towns and
cities; erected her factories and mills de-
veloped her agricultural and mineral re-
sOurces9 What has given employment to
countless thousands of her people, and
made the busy hum of industry heard on
every side2 Take the State of illinois for
instance. When her great Central Road
I'd La,
made to it. This land was then worth an
aver,ge of two dollars per acre. When
the road was constructed, these lands
were sold by the company at an
average of five dollars per acre, on long
payments. To-day every acre Of this
land will bring from twenty-five to fifty
dollars per acre. Thriving towns and
populous cities have grown up along the
line of this road, and Illinois, with her
magnificent system of railroads, has become
the empire State of the West, and the govs
eminent has received back In taxes, etc,
more than the value of the lands she gave
to aid in building these roads. The history
of Illinois in this respect is the history of
every State where railroads exist The
roads we now have have done far more to
advance our interest, to develop our re-
sources, than all other things combined
would have done. Let the Texas and Pa
cifc road be completed, the national
finished from Jefferson 10 the Rio Grande,
and no mind can contemplate, no pen do
justice to the future greatness and grandeur
of this, the Empire State Of the Union.
Is it not the duty and interest Of, both
State and nation to foster and aid these
worksl And Is it rot about time that the
seal of the peoples disapprobstion should
be placed upon the narrOw-minded, selfish
and anti-progressive class, who are standing
in the way and opposing the consumniation
of these great enterprises, in which the
State and people are so vitality interes ;ed2
Let us then unite and urge with ali our
power the granting of aid by Congress to
the Texas and Pacific road, and demand, in
a way that will not be misunderstood, the
immediate settlement, by our Legislature,
of the International bond question, and
thus secure the early completion of both
these important works