The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-02-20

10 the southwest what I'm. Best ls
to tho East.
San Antonia is situated in lati.
tude about fifty or one hundred miles
farther south than St. Augustine, Fla,
and although oranges are not cultiva.
ted here to any great extent, it is said
that they can be grown as successful.
ly as in Florida. The great trouble
with the people of Texas is that they
are 200 much like Adam and Eve be.
fore the apple episode took place
extremely shiftless. 1t is so easy
for Texas farmer to exist without
much labor that he seems to have
grown careless about providing any.
thing but the bare necessities of life
for himself and family. A northern
man is surprised to see how the farm.
ers of this State live. The farm.
houses are low, dirty, unpainted,
frame buildings, often without glass
in the windows and rarely provided
with any of the modern conveniences.
"Hog and hominy," with an occasien.
al feast of bread and molassess, com.
prize the menu of the Texas farmers
daily bill.of.iare. The floors of his
house are uncarpeted aud his vietuals
are cooked over an old fashioned fire.
place, the chimney of which is built
on the outside of the house. The walls
of his house are unadorned with pic
lures or ornaments of any kind and
his furniture is of the most primative
design. His wife and daughter in.
dulge in the filthy habit of chewing
snuff, while he and his sons devote
what spare change they can mus.
ter to the support of the neihbor.
ing saloonist. The Texas farmer does
not waste any money Oh the education
of his children, the planting of fruit
trees on his farm, the beautifying of
his home, the purchase Of useful books,
or in any other extravagant way, but
he regularly deposits it with the bank
er who stands behind the bar or sits
beside the gaming table. Alas, that
this is true of so many men every.
where There are exceptions to all
rules, and of course there are many
exceptions to this one, but a careful
consideration for the truth compels
met state that for downright lazi.
ness, abject poverty and general de-
pravity the average Texas farmer has
no equal among the iillers of the soA
in the other States. l would like very
much TO pay gallant compliment to
the ladies' Of the lone Star States" ;"
but unless it be an accomplishment to
dip snuff, to whitewash the face or to
be extremel y ignorant, l cannot pay
much of compliment to the women
of Texas. Here again there are man. .
ny exceptions to the rule, but in the
estimation Of one who modestly
claims to have investigated the sub.
ject TO some extent, the average girl
; of the North Is worth a dozen times
as much, both mentally and physic-
ally, as her sister Of the sunny South" :"
l do not doubt that ultimately Texas
! will be as tar advanced in civilization
as any state in the Union, but until
the landlords cease to light me to
I bed BY the dim glare 6of Pickering
candle, shall think lat their state
! is either behind the times or else that
the Standard monopoly dlscrminates
! unjustly against it.
s Texas is making great progress,
} ard those who have lived here a few
! years are satisfied with the present
when they compare it with the past,
l but there is surely much room for
f improvement. The school fund of so
macy million acres of land must be
3 brought into practical use,s so there may
, be free schools everywhere instead Of
there being almost none as at present.
Immigration of the best classes OF
society must be attracted by friendly
: invitation and substantial induce.
} ments. The pistol and the shotgun
must give way to the spelling book
and the grammar. The Texas farm.
{ er must become more industrious,