The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-02-12
rHr ANTI coRrnRATroN BILL

all yav construction, accomplished
lone through corporate power. We
rave shown that in 1871 the
7xable values Of Texas amount
NJ to 1922 5O4,O73; how In the
,olk1wing five years values IL
creased at the average rate OF not
luite twenty millions of dollars az d,
ouallv, being in 1887 SSl9,3I3,22l;
how during these five years railway
Iuilding was slowly progressing IN
Texas. while the state, instead OF IN
derkoing rapid development, because
of new and unsettled regions being
opened up by penetrating railway
lines. was doing little more than I'M
ders Ding natural advancement; now
in 1878 railw ~ building had stopped
and the increase in Walt es brought the
sum total OF assessments to only $685.
POP 424; how II 1879, with only little
building on one line of railway,Values
reached to only 1894. 1913, 1853; h'w in
1880. with only little work on one or
two lines, values welt to S3ll ,4Io,'5o;
how railway building then revived
and for 1881 we see that the states
taxable wealth reached to $780, OO,OOo;
in 1882 to S419,927,476; and in
1883, when three great rail-
way lines were penetrating vest
ern Texas. to 1921, 537, $50. Two
of these lines were not completed IN
ill during that year, and consequently
the railway boom not yet ended, the
assessments in 1884 reached $6O3,O6O,-
or. These figures, applied to the dit-
ferent years in which railway build
ing was not progressing, and those ID
which it was, tell wonderful tale as
to the influence OF railways upon the
progress and development OF Texas.
The history of countries demonstrates
more strongly still their influence.
1N&shis was the work of corporatleE5,
and feXas aaa-eyen to encourage
them in great measure
TO secure what was done.
Such results, as in these years, IN
building up wealth for Texas 1t IS
necessary to repeat again and again
to make the state what it should be.
Great works, requiring the use OF
enormous sums of money to complete
them. acquire force in these days only
through corporate power Corporation
has been the goose that has laid gold
! en- eggs for Texas, and the birds lay
=, ing DAYS are by no means ended, unless
the government decree that
she must fall beneath the ak. AS 1t
; is with railway building, so it is with
many other enterprises that are deVel-
. oping the STATE. CoE1bintd capital,
/ made effective and protected by cor
t rcrate existence, is building up waste
! places i'll western Texas; is improving
and stocking great ranches that con-
= tribute taxable wealth to the state; II
f is boring artesian wells and
r growing GASES in desert places
is making the forests of EasternTexaS
sources of great wealth. The day
has not yet come to Kill corporations
The sudden extinction of slavery II
the south set it back for nearly a life
time. Had its extinction been grad
ual distress would not have been thu
; immediate result OF emancipation
? So with corporations; their sudden ex
q tinction would retard progress il
Texas, for capital necessar!
" to develop the State ha
10 be brought here from abroad
q and it must be procured through cor
= rorate influence. While on this Ques
S ZION we may be permitted to make al
: extract from a letter just received Il
l. this city. 1t is written by a gentle
e man, connected with cattle corpora
d ton OF. western Texas which h@
e lately borrowed large amour
/. of foreign money. He says
! In coHxersation with Mr.. -, yes
v terIay, he told me if the bill becam'
s a law in Texas-now pending in tn
Y senate-to abolish corporations, tina
it would eventually stop the working
of every corporation, foreign ant
l. local, and would effecJually put
: quietus on the investment of foreign
: capital in the state. Afterward, il
j conversation with large capitals
2 from Colorado, and largely interested
d In New Mexico, l learned that tn
7; passage of that bill would make livel..
o times in those states, as all the foreign
q capital new seeking Investment II
y Texas would be diverted to New
;, Mexico and Golorado-as they Invites
: capital into those states under an.
K and all circumstances, in shape o
8 corporations or otherwise. He wa
g quite jubilant in the hope the legis
IT lature would pass such law; SAT-
they just needed something of tn
kind to call the attention of the capi
tallsts to the many inducements he'll
:. cut by those states in preference t
:. Texas l was not so much alarme
y at his words and position as
:. was at Mr.. IS opinion, TO
8 which l have great respect. That bi
should not become a law, as it woul
: ruin our business and at same tim
= will place you and all others holt
- ing large properties, in such positio
y that YOU will not be able to find an
10 one to buy. No one man can be foun
" chat wants to go in so strong. bu
~ where many can be allowed to lncol
% porate and avoid individual habilit.
i a property of any value, no matte
40 how large. can be placed"
~ STRAIGHT OUT GAMBLERS.
The Fort Worth Gazette uses al
Dn mirably conceived arguments in fave
~ of license for gaming. 1t says, "Whe
20 it has been demonstrated that uncop
= promising prohibition of an evil wi