The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-03-27
A Deep Subject.

We should ike to see the question |
Of deep water at Galveston take posi-
ton this summer in the politics of the |
state. We do not care particularly |
that it be made an issue between the |
two parties, but we would have each
city county and state,
which assemblies in Texas, adopt reso-
buttons urging upon congress early
and liberal action upon this most i'm
portant of state and national inter-
ests. In most formal and pressing
way we would see every potent in
fluence at work to supply this desider-
alum to Texas and western COM
merce and trade. Expression should
be given also to the general desire
that our next state legislature lead off
with liberal appropriation for this
purpose as a sort of pointer
to the general government. In
assuming this position we do not de.
sire to be considered as a champion of
Galveston alone. The matter assumes
broad Importance, reaching out to
the remotest bounds of the state, nor
stopping there. 1t takes in, in the
benefits it proposes to confer, all of
the territory west of the Mississippi
and east of the Rocky mountains, and
as a matter of national interest, in
war, especially in war with any
American power. this facility for
shelter on the gulf coast, and rendez-
vous for our commerce in stress of
circumstance mounts into the regions
of absolute necessity. Surely on a sub
ject such as this no political platform
constructor need dread the danger
of going too far, or OF speaking too
strongly. Five of the most populous
of the states of the west, with several
territories and the state of Colorado,
demand deep water at Galveston.
Texas herself, an empire in extent and
in range of production, demands it,
and in peculiar way is it her duty
not only to ask government aid for
the enterprise, but to show her own
faith in the worth of the contem pla-
ted benefit. She should lead off with
such an appropriation as would in
and of itself, induce broad at
tention from the other states
interested, and force congress to
a line of action which would
insure the required depth of water at
Galveston. Surely the Texan democ-
racy can well afford to go on the rec
ord as favoring such scheme as this.
There is nothing in either its past his
tory or party policy to make such
attitude or enterprise undemocratic in
any way, and we would see it go on
the record as one of the potent infiu-
ences in the west in favor of confer
ring the boon upon the state.
In taking position like this the
Texas democracy would win the SYM
pathy of the other western states,
and the step would only prove
another bond between them and the in
fuences here with which we hope
at no very distant day to see
massed and making common cause in
other matters of public policy. The
politics of the country between the
lines we have named above, must ere
long become identical, because the
people, the productions and the re-
sultihg trade and commerce are iden-
tical and similar in every way. We
are approaching day when business
considerations will swallow up pOliti-
cal prejudices, and when, if it be-
comes point of commercial advan-
tage for the states of the northwest
to- have cordial relations with those of
the southwest, no faint men,
DRY of the bloody garment, no
sickly sentiment of hatred growing out
of the events or results of the late
war between the sections, will be per-
mitted to step in and veil their advan-
tages, or separate and antagonize the
people. No step could be taken which
would operate more powerfully to
bring about this good day than the
one we suggest. Hitherto the south
has been accused of standing more
upon her political and sectional preju-
dIces than upon plainly indicated bu-
siness policies, such as we suggest
here. How well founded the charge !
is we do not pretend to say, but in this
very deep water scheme we have |
a splendid opportunity to show to the
states of the northwest and to the
federal government as well, that we
have learned to consider the business
aspects of the situation now, if we
never did before.
Let the county and district conven-
lions lead off with ringing resolu-
lions on this subject, to be followed |
by the state convention, and all good |
may result, while any possible evil is
but remote and obscure contingent
cy.