The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-01-29
NEW ORLEANS TRADE WITH
TEXAS.

Time was when the people Of Texas
looked almost altogether to New o.
leans for supplies, but with new steam
ship lines and the building Of railways
into this state from the north and
east, the course of trade has been
changed. That New Orleans, with
railroad connection, would be an sd-
mirable base for supplying Texas with
a great many heavy goods is not de-
MED, and that 1t should also offer
many advantages as a market for
the surplus productions Of this state
seems perfectly reasonable. 1t stands
as the gste between two great seas, one
the high sea leading to every part of
the habitsble globe, and the other the
great Mississippi, stretching for thou
sands of miles and through thousand
channels to every part Of the richest
aud grsndest valley of all the CONT
nents. New Orleans should be mar
ket of interchange for the products of
the entire globe, and having the ad-
vantage Of water communication with
almost every portion of the trading
world it should be able to buy and
sell so as to compete with any
other market. There is no rea-
SON why European and Asiatlc
manufactures should not be delivered
as cheap at New Orleans as at New
York, and with direct railway connec-
ton with New Orleans the STATES
MAN can see no reason why Texas
should not receive from there most,
if not all of its supplies. From AUS
TIN to New Orleans, or from San An
tonic or Waco to New Orleans, the
distance by rail will soon be less than
500 miles, while it is thousand miles
or over from any of those places to
st. Louis, while the distance to New
York is 1000 miles. This year we have
been shipping into Texas vast quanti-
ties of grain. That New Orleans, hav-
ing water communication with the
grain producing regions of the coun-
try, should not be allie to handle corn
and wheat at quite as low figures
as st. Louis is unreasonable,
and that by rail and water transporta-
ton, via New Orleans, cattle and
sheep. and cotton, and all Texas pro-
ducts should not be sent abroad as
cheaply, and even cheaper than by any
other route, is q question that
should be beyond dispute. TIE
opening of the railroad from
Houston to New Orleans prepares the
way for such results, and to show that
the people OF the Crescent City are
alive to this question of trade we need
only make the following extract from
the New Orleans Democrat:
Our merchants must not expect that
the mere opening up of railway COM
municstion with Texas will set the
people of that section mad with the
desire to come and spend their money
here. 1t will be reduced down
to matter of dollars and cents strict
ly, and the wholesale dealers who can
make the best showing of low prices
and goods and freights will be most
likely to gather the commercial per-
simmon. The section of Texas to
which we have referred has made
large sccessions to its population
during the last few years. Many
of these are thrifty farmers from
England and Scotland, while the al
ready numerous German population is
being enlarged constantly. These new
corners seem possessed of both the will
and ability to make the most out of
rich and fertile soil and are not only
able to surround themselves with the
necessary comforts of life, but in most
instances find it convenient to lay
aside something substantial for the
proyerbial ''rainY day. 1t will not
do, therefore, for the possessors of su-
perannusted wares to look for
an ell dorado IN Western Texas. AS a
general thing the inhabitants of that
lsattion are intelligent and progressive,
aud have lost much, if not all, of the
rude frontier manners commonly at
tributed to them, even the ancient city
of San Antonio, since its adobe walls
have re-echoed the shrill whistle of the
railway locomotive, has lost much OF
its primitive Spanish simplicity, and
effect, airs of metropolitan order.
1t will, therefore, be wise in those
seeking the patronage of these peopleto
study their tastes and prejudlces
somewhat at the time they are making
known the business advantages at
their command. Whatever is to be
done in this matter should be done at
once.