The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-05-23
TEXAS.

Last Wednesday one year ago Texas
dedicated to the peoples use her magnif-
cent granite state house, the largest state
capitol building in the union, the pride of
Texas, if not of the south. The oeremo-
MES were elaborate and importing. The
United States, with Texas, were repre-
scented here, and our sister republic of
Mexico had present accredited messen-
gers of good will. The speeches of him
who bears the name and is the lineal de-
scendant of the great founder of Texas
an ID of the gifted orator who, in the name
and on behalf of Texas, Tt ceived the house
from the contractors, breathed no other
thought than the glory of the past of
Texas, and the grandeur of her future, as
state, one and indivisible, an empire in
territory, resources and power, she is to
swing down the ages, overshadowing
with her greatness Every other state of
our union of sovereign states. The
speeches, the inspiring occasion, furnished
a fit time for retrospect of a past that
binds to bat one future-points to but
one state emblem, the Lone Star of Texas.
But such a time impresse5 most those who
chance to be eye witnesses of the events
and ceremonies. Those at distance lose
the thrill of the moment, feel not the in
piration that sweeps over and above the
commonplace and burns into the heart
and brain of man that resolve and pur-
pose the erosions of time cannot wear
away. Yet aow, on such a subject as this,
any man, whether native born, long time
resident of the state, or even one who has
we'll studied the history and possibilities
of Texas, can be dispassionate, cold or
sordid, divination does not disclose. There
are, however, those, happily but a marked
and noted few, who see in Texas not that
future an DER ruling Providence
seems to have stamped upon her,
but simply rare possibilities for
pecuniarily advantageous dissection,
opportunities for private or sectional
speculation. One such instance has lately
been to some extent discussed. A citizen
of Dallas has fathered this wild, money
getting scheme. He proposes that "the
Panhandle be sold to the United States
for $40,0OO0O0, and that that section and
Oklahoma be carved into two states, while
the remainder of Texas be divided into
four states, with Dallas as the empire cap
ital of the "blaok land" state, carved out
of the richest portion of north Texas.
The S4O,OOO,OOO obtained from the Federal
government should be devoted to the
construction of capitols for the four states,
to the building of their ssylums and other
pubic buildings, and some $10,OO0,OO0 sp
propriated to the opening of a
frst-class harbor on the Gulf coast.
The building of additional deaf and dumb
ssylums, land offices and other state in
situations would give employment to
carpenters and other laborers; capita,
would flood the state from Europe and
New England; such stream of immi
grants would pour in upon US as OKLA.
homs has not even witnessed, aud the
political power of this section would be
quintupled in the senate and immensely
increased in the house."
Did ever eye of prophetic statesman or
kindly philanthropic gentleman reach
further into the future than the ken of |
this shrewd money-seekerf His scheme
is, however, so deliberately general in
its character he cannot pause to