The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-06-02

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TRADER had no idea that so long time
would elapse before the appearance of this;
but time with me since then has been the
scarcest commodity imaginable, and even
now hasten this through, with no time for
corrections.
AS to what say 10 this letter, | do not
wish your readers to mistake my motive, or
to think that sam Ietractlng anything of
what my former letters contained regarding
the beauty, grandeur and loveliness Of the
country, while | am, from careful research,
compelled to change my former views as re-
CARDS climate, society and such little matters
which go to make up the comfort, peace and
happiness Of state or section of country.
There is one thing certain-that no coun-
try, no state or section has ever been so well
advertised and as much said and written
about as Texas, and yet how few there are
that give anything like a correct picture of
the state. No two can see Texas alike, and
no two writers will describe it alike; and
perhaps many will say, after reading this
GLOW do we know that you are telling the
truth? %
DO not say that | am. l only give you
matters and things as saw them, and as my
inouisitive turn of mind led me to inquire,
and then judged Of the answers to suit my.
self
But looking over the immense field OF
railroad literature, and wonderful achieve.
ments from the pen, of those whose Interests
are to turn the tide of immigration that way,
can not but wonder at the thousands of
fools" that will sell out everything, leave
good homes, good society and pleasant
places, expecting to find, when they arrive
in Texas, that the Colorado, Trinity, Guadalupe
and other rivers are liquid streams of potpie,
tout of which the natives dip their pabulum,
and then, like allgators, lie down and bask
in the SUM-"
My advice TO people that are "struck with
the Texas fever" instead of putting their
faith and trust in railroad literature, is first to
out their homes and leaving good thing"
for something they know not off.
Here is about the way il is done: In nine
cases out of ten the pilgrim contemplating a
which tells him to "enter Texas at the gate
Dennison-and thus take ride through the
beautiful Indian Territory by daylight"
while another of the same sort, but more
fowery, tells the bewildered traveller to ego
by the way OF IIardscrabble Pike, through
Mud Valley, along the picturesque fields of
Hoecakeville, and SO reach Texas IN style,
with his tail over the dash board" After
which he will be proof against all kinds OF
imposition, coming from whatever source it
may. And then, il he thinks Texas the
promised land, or the land he wants to settle
in, II will be time enough for him to dispose
of his little home, etc, and 60 to that country
which is not DER flowing with milk and hon.
ey, by large majority.
The first impression one gets on reading
the Texas constitution is, that 1t mus, be
good thing for the poor man, but a close ob.
server, and a man that has any regard for
honesty, will at once admit that its pro-
visions are "damnably" and were never IN.
tended for honest people. 1t is such laws
that have made all Texas "a homestead, and
render II impossible to collect Il dollar IN the
state by law. No man need pay unless he
chooses, for you can not touch his home
stead!
Now all that may be very good for dis
honest class, but how does it affect the mer.
chant or business man? Suppose some man
wants to borrow a thousand dollars, more or
less; he goes to the bank, states his wish and
is told, "les, we have the money TO lend, but
what security can you give?"
Well he has so many acres of land, a house
etc. But" asks the banker, ''is not that
your homestead?" YES" I'VE can't lend
you any money on that; have YOU no one 10
indoise for you that has something besides
homestead?" "Well, no. not that | know
or and so he has to go without the money,
and perhaps sacrifice something else to raise
the stamps. This is the way the homestead
law works; while il is u god.send to dishon
est persons IT is hard on honest men.
One would naturally suppose, from read.
ing the law regulating the school fund, and
hearing Texas people tell OF it, that the state
was ,eeming with
PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
and everything IN that line was Just per.
lection, surpassieg even the boosted ins,i,u.
lions of the Hub" and outshining the EN-.
pire state. Let none Of your readers be bit
surprised when say that there is not a pub.
lie school in the state, nor even one that
should be mentioned in the same class. They
have schools, 20 be sure. hui no nnbllc