The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

scenes of material desolation and of
moral woe to proud position among
the peoples of the world. Hands un-
used to labor, bodies never before OPP
pressed with the weight of human
cares, minds devoted to the arts and
practices attendant upon plenty
and independence, all COM
bined; and. swearing allegiance to the
The law that necessity had made, our
noble Southern people took up the
thread of new existence, destined
to lead them once more to compe-
tence and plenty and happiness. Dill
Igently hath this thread been followed
through all the maZes of adversely
until it has low led them to an open
field where they are competing not
only for the social but for the indus
trial honors of the world. The ex-
position at Atlanta marked the pro-
gress of this new era, and the one at
Louisville presents its contamination.
In Texas, where no authoritative in
terest appears to evince pride in the
states advancement, where no means
out of bounteous resources, are placed
at the disposal of the state, that its
dignity and its proud stand among
sister states may be asserted, we may
manifest pleasure, alone, in achieve
ments and resources now being
presented at Louisville in be-
half of sister Southern states.
A paltry $4,000 could have
been expended in giving Texas
place in this Southern Exposition, and
it would have won for its people mil
lions of dollars. Incompetence in gov
eminent is not quality particularly
applicable to any Southern sta e. 1t
prevails in the body polite of North
ern states as well. 1t is so mu ch fea-
ture of political society, nowadays, that
the intelligence and worth of commu
mites cannot be enlisted in public
service. Private enterprises, sus-
tanned by this new condition of af
fairs, claim the attentionof the most
intelligent and enterprising elements
of society, and men who would see
and know the value of proper state
representation at these great eXposi-
tions remain at home, while ignorance
and old fogyism and demagogueism
have it nearly always their own way
in public administration. Led by at
tractive premiums, offered by the
managers of the Southern Exposition,
a few individuals will display Texas
cotton and probably some other Texas
products at Louisville, while the nat
ural and developed resources of the
state, presented by state authority, as
one great whole, will be unknown to
the hundreds of thousands of people
who go to LOUISVILLE to see what the
different Southern states present
in the way of inducement for capital,
labor and enterprise. But we may be
taught valuable lessons by the enter
prise of other communities. For many
years-since long before the war-At-
lanta and Louisville have both held
annual state fairs. The Georgia and
Kentucky state fairs, in fact, have
contributed to developing the re-
sources of these two states. Stran-
gers have dropped in, from year to
year, to witness the exposltions, and
proitirg by beneficial results, state
Tairs have given origin final
ly to worlds fairs. Texas is
has natural resources not possessed
by either Georgia or Kentucky. Were
samples of the states rich minerals
and its powerful soils, of it's timbers
and its great variety of building ma
terial--wood and stone-of its animal
and vegetable products, placed on ex-
hibiton at Louisville, the world would
see and admire, and rich would be
the harvest therefrom. But a narrow
minded policy in state government has
kept us from being represented at
Philadelphia and Atlanta, and it now
prevents representation at Louisville.
Let us do the best then in our power,
instead. AS Atlanta and Louisville
have cultivated the spirit of
advancement, let US here
in Texas do likewise, until in the
coming years we may ourselves have
a great exposition similar to theirs.
For the eighth year the Capital state
fair has been held at Austin and now
it is known to be permanency. The
association stands. at last, on a more
solid basis, and its efforts for the COM
ing ninth exposition, in October, are
worthy of the most fattering success.
The people of Texas, lending their
moral aid to this association, may in
a few years, it is hoped, build up
spirit that will accomplish for
Texas more than has been ac-
complished for Georgia and far
more than is now being
done for Kentucky. Why should we
not, by 1886, the semi-centennial of
Texas independence, inaugurate a
great fair in Texas, attracting here
strangers to look at these things
which are not sent abroad, reaping
the fruits that intelligent representa-
ton might now secure at Louisville ?
THE STATESMAN urged the legisla-
ture to make an appropriation for an
exhibition at Louisville. Five thou
sand dollars was appropriated for the
Southern Historical Society, money
given in worthy cause, but not
cent was voted for the states repre-.
sentation at the Southern exposition.
But many citizens of Texas will be at |
Louisville during the exhibition Let |
them note the displays made by other |
states, and learn a lesson therefrom. |
that they may impart to strange ELI
ments that now go towards making
up state governments.
The Denison Herald-News names
- -