San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-01-24
TUESDAY, JANUARY, "a, 1888.

THAT JOHN OWENS CIRCULAR.
This unique document drawn up,
ostensibly, at San Antonio, for the pur-
pose Of turning the wool trade OF San
Antonio into the hands OF Galveston,
and transferring one Of our most import
ant industries to u rival city by the pc
titlon of San Antonio signatures we'll
worthy Of a place among the cranky
circulars of this century. Ii seems to be
the twin brother OF the motion to
squelch all reference to wool tariff In
San Antonio mass-meetIng, because the
matter was brought up by republican.
This circular is a spy in the camp,
traitor In the cOunsels, and false lead
er on the field OF battle. 1t was born in
hostility to this city, having been con-
ceived in injustice and fed upon
the milk OF our bltterest enemies.
The circular cody asks for sigma
lures among the sheep and wool men
pledging the signers to carry their wool
to Galveston upon the representations
Of the immortal John Owens" The
great argument for this transfer lies In
the fact, so says John Owens" that
the freight from Galveston to New York
Is only per cert OF the freight from
San Antonio and inland points. This
whole thing bottled up, simmered down
and reduced to plain English means
pass all freight through the port OF Gal
weston, enhance the Importance OF that
sea port, dwarf all other ideas Of Texas
sea ports, turn all trade into that chan
mel and forever kill the possibility Of
opening deep water port on the west
coast of this state. This is what this
circular means. 1t says sheep and
wool, but 1t means to build up
the port OF Galveston by San Antonio
petitions under the guise of cheap
freIghts on wool. The hands may be
Esau's, but the voice Is Jacobs, every
time.
This circular is timely. Ii emphasizes
the need OF securing the cooperation OF
all southwestern Texas for deep water
at Arkansas Pass as the only means Of
closing the mouth OF GslVeston's emlsa-
ries who are at this particular juncture
found all over southwestern Texas
working in the interests OF that city to
defeat the objects proposed in this
southwestern convention. This "Jobn
Owens" tract is one of the missionaries
OF the Galveston gospel Of destruction to
all San Antonio's interests, as far as
they lie in the direction Of deep water
in the western end Of the Gulf Of
Mexico. Galveston has sent out this cir
cular to seduce the wool men Of west
Texas from casting In their lot with
San Antonio in this move for
cheap freights and open water at
Arkansas Pass for vessels of large
tonnage. Every move made, Of this
character, only emphasizes the need OF
San Antonio putting forth every effort
to make this southwestern convention
effective in pushing on the development
Of this section OF the state, opening new
channels Of communication, enlarging
the old ones, securing deep water at
Arkansas Pass and so strengthening our
hold on northwestern commerce that no
John .Owens"ciroulars could avail even
for one instant In causing ripple Of APP
prehension to cross the placid waters Of
our prosperity. One week more and we
will be upon the eve Of that convention
which means more to San Antonio than
any convention ever held within this
corporation. The signs are abundant
that San Antonio does not intend. to
leave one stone unturned, one effort un-
made that is needed to succeed this most
important OF all conventions. Its action
will probably make "John Owens" feel
very sick.
The Illness Of Messrs. Carlisle and
Mills shows that thew have aomawhara