The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-09-09
RAILROAD MATTERS.
Meeting of the Board OF Trade Last
Night With visiting Capital
lists Proposing to Con.
struct the Road.

Crsddocks opera house, and were in
troduced to the gentlemen who's
arrival from Chicago and othe
places was noticed in yesterdays paper, AM
who visited Texas for the purpose of bdildinl
the Dallas, Cleburne Il Rio Grande railroad
Colonel John Stone, temporary chairman
called the house to order, and after stating
the object of the extraordinary meeting
called upon the chairman Of the committee
appointed to receive the gentlemen to MAKE
his report. Whereupon, DR.. Hughes said
the committee had discharged its duty and
now had the pleasure of presenting the gen
tlemen themselves to the board Of trade, and
that they had during the day escorted them
over the city. The chair said he would be
pleased to hear from such Of the visiting
gentlemen who had any information or
statement to make.
j. Duncan Smith, of Edinburgh,
Scotland, took the floor and said I:
Mr.. President and Members Of the Board Il
Trade.
l thank you for the kind reception which
this deputstion has received vt your hards,
as we'll as from all the citizens of Dalls.
1t is not yet month since left my home in
Scotland and now find myself five thousand
miles away. Though this is not my first
visi. to the United states, it is the first time
have been so far south. can assure you it
was with very pleasant feelings that after
travelling for nearly two days along the Iron
Mountain road and the Texas road we uti-
mately emerged from that dense forest which
separates your state from the northern por.
ton Of the country. l WIS delighted when
we found urselves opening out on your
beautiful prairie country. | will never for
get the beauty of the Arst sunset | saw in
Texas. 1t Was perhaps tho most beautiful
SUNSET have ever seen. For many years
have had great love for America, and do
sire to become acquainted with the country
and the people, but it was not until 1874
that found opportunity t r carrying this
out. In that ear became acquainted with
Mr., Hale, and with his assistance, organized
the Scottish American Mortgage company,
which has since proved great success. Our
company has done much to promote
intercourse between the old country
snd America. We have sent our money to
be lent out at interest to your farmers and
citizens, and with the interchanges which have
taken place with members of our company,
much useful information in regard to tho
United States has boon circulated in our
country. intercourse promotes good feeling
AID this is the ching which requires to be
promoted.
But in regard to my own country | would
ike to say few words. Scotland is we'll
Known, md doubt not many of the nhab-
tsnts of Dallas are well acquainted with it.
t is small couRtry. | suppose it would
equire five or six Scotiands to make up the
'rea of your state. We have history well
Known for the last five hundred
ears. We have been blessed
with an excellent system Of education and
with the freedom in religion, to which we are
greatly indebted to our retormer, John Knox
Our people have developed during these
many generations, and we are generally &C.
corded to be an industrious AMI Independent
people. Our country is on the whole poor
zoe. 1t is country Of hills and valleys. Our
great national novelist and poet, Sir Walter
Scott, described it very nearly in the well
Known couplet, "lsnd Of brown heath and
haggy wood, land of tho mountain and the
lood." This is a unique description of the
country. Our people have had to use great
kill in developing the soil. They had to make
t productive and it required great persever.
'nce to do so. In our county the great
business is TO pro iuce fertilizers. Our
INVENTIONS turn greatly in that way. Any
visitor to our country ia struck with this,
whereas in your country many of your in.
vsntions are directed towards the saving of
abor in harvesting the produc tions of your
,oil In our country these questions oflabor
lid not trouble us as it has done here. The
result, however, w's that it produced indom-
table perseverance among our people and
this quality they now carry with them to
sverv quarter of the globe.
We have been much troubled with our
land laws. In particular the law of primo
gentur' prevents the free distribution of
land rs in your country. 1t is human nature
within us to retain land in families for genera.
tons, and unless otherwise settled by will,
laud held in fee simple goes to the Oldest son.
The law of entail also has been the meas of
tying up large estates in families for genera
tons. Many of these landed estates have,
besides, increased through inter.marrisge,
and the result is that in some districts of the
country immense quantities ofland are con-
troled by a single family. This fact, coupled
with the desire of Scotchmen to possess land
has raised the price very much. Investments
in land can'tnow be made to produce larger
return than about per cent. 1t is a proven b
in our country that as soon as a Scotchmsn
gets his head above water he makes for
land. This proverb may also be applicable
u other countries, but so it 10 with us.
The price of land has increased yery
much during the last thirty years.
Rents vary from 81 to 50, but in many
c.es these figures are tar above what thew
should be. Lands are generally let on leases
osninetsen years. duration, and you can thu,
see that when t'a world changes fast as it
has done OF late years farmers have found
themselves in difficult circumstances. with
long leases on their hands. During the last
five years there have been great number of
bankruptcies among farmers. Prices have
gone down so much that many had to give
up, and lost their all. MANY farms have BEEN
thrown on the hands of landlords, and il
was only the other day saw
in newspaper from Scotland.
printed since lett, that farm near Edinburpb
the rent of which had been $1,000 had been
relet at reduced rent of 81 900, being the best
which could be done. This is Just a samnie
of what is going on and what the lsndlord'.
of our country will have to face. The i'm.
ports of produce Of all kinds from Won,
country is yearly increasing. Your grain
cattle and food of sll kinds are found IN ou,
markets in such quantities that our farmer.
are beginning to see they have no chance,