The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-07-25
TINE TIDE IN OUR AFFAIRS.

their life il bound IN Swallows ana III
miseries," The present time is the tide
i'm the affairs Of Dallas. The natural nd.
vantages' of our city have bccn1ully de
yeloped- have completed their course
leaving whatever, else of growth and
progress the City shall achieve to be ac-
complisbed by energetic, prompt, we'll
directed and united effort The nat
iirnl advantages of Dallas were dimin'
ished when town further west became
the terminus of the Texas Pacific, and
the natural advantages Of our city will
be altogether impcrccptible to the eye
of tho immigrant when the Central
branch is completed northwest from
Waco, and when the Trans, Continental
taps the Pacific proper west OF Dallas
when the country now tributary to our
city is traversed by railroads that do not
centre here,
We are not croakcrs we would not
weaken the faith of u single person, but
the present il the tide in the affairs of
Dallas, and TIE HERALD would be re.
creant to its duty if it did not cndeavor
to point out the flood, and urge that it
be promptly theoretically taken by
those whose interests are identified with
those of the city II is perhaps safe to
assert that nothing now probable, Will
diminish the present size of Dallas--ior
the country tributary to the city (dc.
spite extensions and rival towns) will
support city Of from fifteen to twenty
thousand inhabitants. But it is the flu
ture of Dallas that is endangered, Its
natural advantages have been e1-
hausted in making the city what it is;
its turedcpends upon action--prom
energetic and united action,
We do not desire to dispolagc the
claims of those who have zcalously la
bored for the public veal but truth
compels us to say that Dallas contains
many people who have derived far
more benefits from the city than they
have ever conferred upon it, The ina
tural advantages of Dallas as railroad
centre, MS n railroad terminus, MS tho
eNtrCpot for rich agricultural region,
have done far more for some of our citi-
Gems than some Of our citizens have
ever done for Dallas. Let us look this
matter squarcly in the face, and see il
all our boosted enterprise and public
spirit is not, to great extent, mere
braggardocis, Neither the Central nor
the Pacific railway was built by Dallas
and yet these two roads have been po
tent Instruments for good to our city
no man in Dallas did aught to Great,
the rich. Lands whose products have file,
our streets with the busy hum of com
mcrcc; our fine courthouse was pal,
for in cornty bonds; indeed we opin
that examination will show our "publi
spirit to have been merely private en-
terpriso for the purpose of utilizing tn
benefits conferred by natural adyanta
ges.'
Has Dallas n single monument to it
public spirit--or is it not rather file,
with monuments to greed, to scliishncss
to want of unity and to bragg Where i
the Dallas and Wichita ralway---cssci
italy " Dallas "entcrprisey Wha
wrecked it2 What converted Il projcc
50 lraught with good to Dallas into
mere bone Of contention2 What has bC
come of the streets donated by parties I,
the city, but are now subjects of litigj
ton or upon which buildings have beer
erected whose rents 70 to fill individua
colersY What about the fair tina
should attract thousands to our ric
bottoms and fertile plains? Wha
about free bridge that should att cs
the liberality of men who boast of thci
public spirit? What about farms tina
should be huge lungs through whic
our wearied people might get an occ,
sional breath of pure air? What abou
system of schools that should eyinc
our interest in education--a vita
element of true progress? Wh0
about churches whose structur
should mark our people q
not wholly given to Mammon
What about sidewalks, pavements, etc.
What about waterworks that. are so in
peratively demanded? Echo answer,
what2 But on every side may be seel
some private enterprise put into opera
ton to reap what natural advantages
have sown.
The time for action has arrived
persevering prompt, Utcd action. lie
those for whom the natural advan
tages' of Dallas have done so much
now do something in behalf of Dallas
The past inaction of our people has nc
cumulated upon our attention, at THU
tide in our affairs u variety of project,
all of which are important, all o
which promise good to our city, and il
all Of which united effort is necessary
Let our people meet and take counsc
together Abolish the rule, that seems
heretofore to have obtained that 1
public enterprise is simply good thing
for some shrowd follow or clique tc
squeeze dry Let all classes of our peo
pie meet and consult together for the
common good; and decide what is hes,
for the welfare of all, Let tho banker
the mechanic, the merchant, the labor