The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-03-03
THE roR1Y-rIrrH ANNIVERSARY.

of the Independence Of the republic of Texas.
| 1t would possibly have been more sppropr-
ate 10 have published something on this
subject yesterday morning, but not necessarily
SO. The struggling republic, the bantiing
nation. declared its independence of Mexico
and fluBg its lone star flag to the brsezes' to
the sunlight of heaven, poor in purse, feeble
in strength, but mighty in hope, in high re
solve and in stoutnes Of heart. For nine
years, rs nation among the nations Of
the earth, ii ba,tled brsvcly
for existence, meeting time snd
again the cohorts Of strong opposing power,
the serriei columns of Mexico's armed hosts
and maraudng bands of hostile L.
disns in battle and always wish rouown to
herself. At length when the republic
| yielded up its autonomy rs IA separate nation
aud become sovereign state of tho Amorl-
csn urion and blended its lone star with the
galaxy OF stars that blaza upon the flag of tho
United States, il found cessation from anx-
iety, from turmoil and from unequal strife.
That the acquisition of Texas by the United
States government was the acquisition Of
an empire in territory, We all
know, but more definite and comprehensive
iiea of what this acquisition was can TO
gained from tha following extrac! from lee
ture recently delivered by Bishop Haven, Of
tho Methodist Episcopal church north, who
was few months sgo in Texas presiding
over conferences of bia church, than anything
We can write. Bishop Haven said: "rbe
measurement of all the eastern and middle
states. including Maryland snd Delaware, is
100000 square 'ui!es eas than Texas. You
must add to New England New York and
Pennsylvania, and all the middle states, Oaio
and Indiana, 10 make up the sum. Take a
few other illustrstions From Denison, three
miles from the northern line, to Galveston,
GA the Gulf of Mexico. where the Gulf,
Colorado " Santa Fe railroad has its SOUTH
ernmost terminus, the distance Is about the
Same as from Boston TO Washington, while
from Texarkana, tho most eastern town, to
the extreme western point on the Rio Grande
i, over 600 miles--as far rs from New York
to Cincinnati. Tho territory of the empire can
DO set forth in another way. Massachusetts
contains 1900 square miles; Texas, thirty five
times the area Of Massachusetts,. II is six
times as large AS New York, seven times Is
large as Ohio, four times as large rs all New
England. Two hundred Rhode Islands could |
DO placed within its limits and leayefoom for |
a dozen more. The great west we have had |
dinged in our ears for half century, mean.
ing thereby the western statos this side of tho
Mississppi-Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wiscoa-
sin and Michigan. Their bountful area
falls short OF that OF Texas by some 10000
square miles, or another state as largo Gs that
of Ohio. Ii you cro;s tho Mississippi you
must put Kansas, Nebraska, iowa and Min.
nesota together to catch up with Texas.
Thus it will be seen that this single stats is
more than half Of tho old slave territory
moro than half the old free territory eAst of
the Missouri, or almost one-fourth Of the
rest OF the United States as they were organ
lied at the beginning Of tho war east Of tho
Rocky Mountains; mora than one fourth il
you subtract Kansas und Nebraska from the
group. If we lay Texas i've times over it
will more than cover the rest Of the United
States from Dakota and Colorado to the
Atlantic shore" What this vast area,
but wilderness forty.avo years
ago, has developed into, since it
frat declared its Independence, wo havo but
to look about US and soc. From handful
of people it has increased to population of
nearly 100000. l. now has mora than
three thousand miles of railroads in opera.
sion and we presume there are fully five
thousand men at work building more. The
cotton crop Of tho state last year was 1900
600 bales, and for its wool, cattle and dido
product, i. received millions and millions OF
dollars. We do not propose in this article
to enter into amy elaborate exposition of the
states resources and developments, but sim
ply call attention to what it was forty y'Ats
ago and is to day.