The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-07-19
THE WORK OF THE DEEP WATER CON
VEHTION.

The men who constituted and domi-
mated the Fort Worth deep water conven-
| ton we're wise and conservative statesmen,
/ as their work demonstrates. The set of
resolutions adopted by the convention
could not have been improved upon, and
/ in them is contained the gist of the whole
ubjeot. First, Texas is bound up with
! the entire northwest, the subject is made
one of common interest and the in1u-
ence of neighboring states is pledged 10
the successful termination of the efforts
now insugurated. 1t is made not alone
the want or the fight of Texas, but of
Texas as having a kindred wait with
these other states, and all standing to-
gether the result must be success.
Next, the selection of the proper point
great desideratum is put in charge of the
proper hands. United States engineers
skilled in such work and having not the
slightest special interest in the matter,
no friends to serve, no business ventures
to conserve, are to be the sole and abso-
Lutte Judges of the place on our Texas
coast most suited for such port rs must
be forthcoming. No city or town, no bay
or inlet on the coast was mentioned either
by word or implication. The whole mat
ter unprejudioed by convention action
will 90 to the corps of United States engi-
neers for fair and impartial decision.
Again the demand upon congress
for this corps of engineers and
a sufficiently large appropriation ito give
assurance of the continuous operation of
the work to its ultimate and successful
completion" is couched in no uncertain
terms. Placing the figure at five million
and will be expected, is an earnest of the
temper of the conventiO" and of the peo-
pie of our and the neighboring states.
Such port would be cheap at ten or
twenty million dollars. But it is thought
it can possibly be secured for about five
million dollars, and that amolnt is asked
for openly and without reserve.
The fifth resolution is an important
one:
We endorse any effort of private enter
prise to secure deep water on the Texas
coast, and pledge ourselves to use our in
fiuence to induce the general government
to reimburse the outlay when twenty feet
of water shall have been secured.
Suspicious parties may at once jump at
the conclusion this means Arkansas Pass,
but why should it? 1t is hello
by many that the mouth of the Brazos is
the most suitable place on the coast for
this port. The Missouri Pacific system
owns large tracts of land at that point,
and with the above guarantee why
should not Gould begin work there? No!
the resolution, we take it, means what it
says. That if any private enterprise in
Texas, or if the capital of any of the
states northwest of us and directly in
terested with US 10 this instance, shall
join any home enterprise to secure such
guarantee will hold good. Such guaran-
tee was given to the end that prompt
action might be taken and that possibly
more than one port might be secured.
The proviso added to the third resolu-
ton was aimed at an evil from
which the state has previously suf-
fered and against the recurrence
of which it was right and necessary that
the convention should provide. The pro-
viso reads;
Provided, that not one dollar of any APP
preparation shall be expended on any
point until proper safeguards have been
provided to procure the state government
the right to regulate wharf fees.
The history of the wharf monopoly of
Galveston must not be repeated in Texas.
Added to all this excellent work the
convention did another wise thing. 1t did
not meet and resolute, and then, by dis
banding finally, leave the question to rock
along of itself and at last drift into OBJ
scurity. But another meeting was pro-
vided for, and that in another state than
Texas, to take place before the middle of
September. This was done to keep the |
question alive and constantly before the
people, and also for the matter to gain
that interstate character so desirable, that
the best results may follow. In all, the |
deep water convention was grand sue
cess and from it will date for Texas the
greatest possible advantage, greater and
more widely extended than anyone can
now possibly imagine.
RIVER AND TARBoR BILL.
As stated in this MORNINGS dispatches !