The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-01-05

To the Editor of the Herald

To the EDITOR OF the heralu'
Outside of the $500 miles Of railroad
built in Texas in this year, 1881, Just giving
us its last days, there are other evidences
of development in it and the preceding year
which challenge admiration. Not less than
300 towns have been founded in the time
time named; and in the same time twelve
counties in which no civilized man lived
till two to four years ago have been settled
sufficiently to organize, elect county
officers and locate their county
seats, viz Archer, Baylor, Ihrockmorton'
Oldham. Wheeler, Nolan, Mitchell, HON
ard. La Sale, Dimmitt, Runnels and Ed
wards. besides Tom Green, Kimble, Con-
cho, Duval, Taylor, Callahan, and q dozen
others settled and organized but a little be-
fore. These twelve counties, each contain
ing nine hundred square miles, contain an
aggregate of 10,S00 square miles, a territory
as large as Connecticut, Rhode Island ana
Delaware Do not, such facts attest me
wonderful development of our
State? Run the consideration back
eight wears, and it will be seen that tern.
tory in Texas as largo as the great state OF
Ohio has been sufficiently settled to be Or
ranized into counties, with all the attributes
Of municipal government. The figures may
seem astounding, but they are less than the
actual truth. At the same rate where W. WI
we be, and what our population, in 1875
Direct, practical immigration from Europe
TO ourS State is only beginning through
the direct steam lines from Euro
mean Dorts to New Orleans
and Galveston. Only now, in this year Of
1881, have railways been constructed INTO
our vast unsettled territory. Put the, two
facts together-consider the fine soil ana
healthy climate thus opened to settlement,
and who can forecast the results OF the next
Instead Of bowling over petty political
advantages, let us send men OF sense ana
experience to the LEGISLATURE, to remedy
| whatever is detective in our laws by tiie
substitution of more wholesome provis-
| ions, or the enactment of new ones
| to meet new emergencies. Let
us send men who can discriminate
\ wisely between the protection OF the people
against wrong by cooperative monopohes,
\ and the other extreme of destroying rail
way and other means of development py
bigoted, one-eyed system OF repression.
Let the people beware OF one-ldea men a, ~ y
universally fanatic, whether he be aD-
| sorbed in religion, morals, politics or
finance. He is (not speaking Extensively q
tiuiteau in his line of circumscribed Thought
and incapable Of framing laws on the plan
OF equal justice to'all mon and pursuits.
| But to return TO the subject oil our
development as State, another
| fact. among many, is transparent, and
| that is that within the years lSSO
and 1881. not less than two hundred new
towns, rsiiroad station, anu uepots have
been established, each the centre gilmore OF
less production. The improvement in the
number aud breeds ofour horses, cattle and
sheep, has been mprvelous. The growth III
Humber mills and the production of lumber
has never been surpassed. Schools and col
lleses nave kept pace with the general al
vance. The State has been paying on It's
debts, reducing its taxes upon the people
and fostering not only its eleemosynary
institutions, hut nourishing two normal
schools and the State Agricultural and Me-
chanical College. mo epidemic has IN
vaded our borders. Nurderers
have been lung and thieves
sent to the penitentiary. Anew state Cap
itol is ABOUT to be built without dollar Q
cost TO the people. Our bonds are at a high
premium. The higher courts are nearly
M with the business before them. Oui
Northern countrymen, having overcome
the fears and prejudices epgendered bs
political agitators. are coming in grea'
numbers, with their wives and children, t
live among us. The Catholic, the Hebrew
and the Protestant live together in peac'
and fellowship under the same laws iol
each
VIII any man Of sound reason deny thes'
general facts and this general view III not
why should not every citizen in Texas b
proud Of his "Statc7'