The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-10-10
TOPEKA TOPICS.
FINAL ACTION OF THE DEEP WATER
CONVENTION, WITH EX-Gov.
HUBBARD PRESIDING.
A Brilliant Argument for Deep Water
Port on the Texas Coast.-Reso-
buttons Adopted.

TOPEKA, Kas., October 3.-When the
deep harbor convention met to-day ex-
Gov. Hubbard, of Texas, vice-president,
was in the chair. The rules were suspend
ed and the committee on resolutions made
its report as follows:
Whereas, The general welfare of the
country is so far as it relates to navigable
rivers, harbors and commerce, committed
by the Constitution of the United States
the exclusive charge OF congress; and
Whereas The cheap transportation of
our commercial products constitutes one of
the most important elements of the gener-
al welfare; and
Whereas, The congress has donated to
private corporations more than $1,OO0,0O0,-
600 of money and upwards of 20OOOO00O
acres of our national land with which to
construct artificial. and thereby much
more expensive highways owned by
private individuals while they
have neglected to make adequate appropri-
alton for even one passable harbor ON the
northwest coast of the Gulf of Mexico,
cheaper transportation, b1t which by our
organic law, is under the exclusive care
and control OF congress; and -.
Whereas, The vast and rapidly develop
ing area lying west of the Mississippi river
comprises more than three-ffths of the ma
tional domain, and yielding more than one
half of the agricultural, meat and mineral
products OF the entire country, is by this
neglect forced to transport its COM
merce across the continent by
way of the artificial and expensive
highways subject to such exactions of pri-
waite cupidity as amounts always to a seri-
Gus burden and sometimes as total in
terdiction to both consumer and producer;
and,
Whereas, There can be no justification
of this discrimination of the highways,
which, during the last year cost the com
merce OF the west an enormous loss in
transportation expenses estimated at more
than $12OOOO0OO, or upwards of 100000
per month; therefore
Resolved, That in the re-atfirmation of
the action of the Denver convention, and
of the committees organized Hereunder, it
is the sense of this convention that it is the
duty of congress to appropriate permanent
ly and for immediate use, whatever amount
is necessary to secure deep water port on
the northwest coast of the Gulf of Mexico,
west of the 93d deg of west longitude,
capable of admitting the largest
vessels and at which the best and most
accessible harbor can be secured and main
tanned in the shortest possible time and
at the least cost-the time, place and cost to
be ascertained from the board of engineers
appointed under an act of congress passed
at its last session.
Resolved further, That this convention,
in behalf of the people it
represents, thanks the congress of
the United States for the prompt
and satisfactory action hitherto taken in
recognition of the request of the Denver
deep harbor convention.
A minority report was presented by Mr.
Watt, of Louisiana, favoring the establish
ing of three gulf harbors, one of them to
be on the coast of louisiana After con-
siderable discussion the majority report
was adopted and the convention adjourned
sine die.