San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1881-12-08
FORNEY ON TEXAS.
n. Imperial DENIAL. Of the Republic OF rsHss-
Kansas ssd Texas Contrsstst.
From Forney's Progress.

From Forneyis Progress.
Bya law AZ inevitable as disiiny and
"a inscrutable as fate, mankind steadily
oravitates to intellectual and civil liber-
ty: no matter what nations or parties
NAV do, the end to all humanity is this.
War. revolution, death and victory are
at last solved in the elevation and the
Improvement of the human race. lake
the history of the two great common
wealths. Texas and Kansas, the history
Of the one since its independence OF
Mexico in 1886, and the romantic story
of Stephen F. Austin the founder
son OF Moses Austin, of Durham Con
necticut, and compare it with the al
most equally dazzling and briefer mar
rative of the romance OF Kansas
which may be said to have grown as
rapidly as the palace Of Aladdin within
less than twenty-five years. or since
1854. and we have q record OF human
progress which defies Imagination and
surpasses the ordinary records OF an
cient and modern civilization. 1t was
my good fortune, with many Others
most of them dead, and many hvlng'
to have watched the advance and deVel'
opment of these two phenomenal COM
munities, to have personally participa-
ted with many of the pioneers OF both'
and to have seen the substantial evil
dences of their Joint, and for the last
ten years parallel progress, and there.
fore, guided by this experience, dwell
upon their unspeakabls influence upon
human affairs. The accident OF our
civil war delayed the Development OF
the incalculable riches of Texas, while 1t
served primarily to reveal the wonder
ful value of Kansas and now that peace
has come it is marvellous how rapidly
that event has served to call forth the
fabulous resources of Texas. In 1877
7 saw Texas for the first time, in COM
pany with the late Thomas Alexander
Scott, president of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, chief, ct that time OF the
great Texas and trans-continental
thoroughfare. Long before it seemed
to have been ordered that Kansas would
take the lead in the struggle for the
mastery of the continent; but this was
illusion. Texas has been conquered IN
the conquest of the rebellion; Kansas
has been victorious in the victory over
the rebellion. The passion for emlgra-
ton attracted myriads to Kansas and
to the other new States of the Union
but 1t was some time before the spirit
of adventure could be turned to the
unlimited fields of enterprise and pro-
duction in the great empire of Texas
but that time soon elapsed. When oul
party reached the borders OF Texas
Shreveport, Louisiana, on the 22d Of
June, 1872, little more than nine
years ago, there were only $50 miles O.
railroad in the State, and we Travelled
several hundred miles in ambulance
over tract of country which is nov
covered with population and iron high
ways. spoke, as the representative
of Colonel Scott, to large audience II
favor of the construction Of the Texa
and Pacific Railway, from the Re-
River to the sea, at Shreveport, La; a
Jefferson, Texas; at Mershall, Texas
at Kaufman, Texas; at Dallas, Texas
at Fort Worth, Texas and at othe
points, winding mp at New Orleans o.
the 4th of July.
From that moment fresh and all
absorbing interest was awakened in re
gard to Texas in every part of tn
country. The proceedings OF the tou
of Colonel Scott and his expedition
were printed in pamphlet and circuls
ted far and wide, and were followed b
continuous and persistent movement
looking TO the development of th
country and the organization of imm
grafton. What is the outlook to-day
Judged by contrast with the experienc
of the younger. and what may be ealle
the rival, commonwealth of Texas, "
gather the details of picture VIII"
without parallel in human civilization
There is no contest between Texas an
Kansas; the world is large enough fl
both. Kansas is a planet, a star,
planet of the first magnitude, a star I
matchless brilliancy, a republic; bl
. Texas Is a great sun, another vorl