Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-26

also to the development of fruit culture
| which has been so noticeable feature of
| recent years. The development of Texas
| is so noticeable as TO deserve more ex-
tended comment
In 1879 Texas was the third of the
Southern states as regards the value of
| assessable property, Kentucky ranking
first with S3l8 200 900, Virginia second
with S30S 900 900, and Texas following
with 1904 900 900. To-day Texas leads
with 1861 900 900, while Kentucky fol-
lows with $3.50 900 900 and Virginia
with 1866 900 900. The enormous in
crease shown by Texas is part
and parcel of the new wave
of prosperity which has swept
over the South, and is due to the devel-
opment of the many resources of which
that state can boast; of its mines and
smelters; its herds and iiocks; its agri-
cultural and manufacturing industries;
and. more than all, to the large number
of immigrants and to the influx of out
side capital, which has developed its re-
sources, as well as to the railroads which
have been so instrumental in aiding the
growth of the largest state in the Union.
Taking the South as q whole, the gen
eral showing is quite favorable. With
an increase of population of less than 33
per cent, the increase III the assessed
values of taxable property has increased
nearly "a per cent. while the increase in
actual wealth is estimated at about three
billion dollars. or over so per cent. The
railroad mileage and the value of manu-
features produced has more than
doubled. The number of cotton mills
has grown from forty-five TO PA, and the
spindles from 5+2 l4S to $50, 627. There
seems to have been large, but not
especially rapid increase in the value
of agricultural products for the
entire section, and in the value of live
stock. The value of the manufacturers
is undoubtedly the source of much of the
increase in wealth, although the steady
growth of the agricultural and livestock
interests shows an increase of over S435,
900 900, as compared with 1886 900 900
increase in the value of manufactures.
So far as the percentage showing is con-
cerned by far the most sensational in
crease is in the value Of the mineral out
put of the south, from So $50 600 i'll
1880 TO 500 ,475 900, or 80 per cent
but it is scarcely possible that the next
ten years will show q corresponding adj
vance.
Taken altogether, the presentation
made is 4 highly favorable one. Al
though the great proportion of the in
crease i'll value is due 10 a development
of the agricultural and livestock inter
ests OF the South, yet the development
of the manufacturing and mineral re-
sources of that section by Northern CAPT
tai has been 50 large as 10 be especially
noticeable. But the outlook is not only
favorable from a business and economic
point Of view. The business activity
and growth of that section
should, and we believe viii,
beget a discOutInuance of the serious po-
litiUal evils which have come to light
from time to time. The maintenance Of
business integrity, which is of itself
prime necessity to the successful exist
enCe of Il business community, must
eventually induce better and more
honest system of political methods. The
honesty which is the best policy in the
mercantile world viii induce 81 resump-
ton of honest elections. The moral
of those four Southern states
III this matter is most Obvious
they show the least increase of all the |
states in the 'solid South - As they |
stand at the foot Of the list i'll political |
honesty, so they lag behind i'll the march !
of Improvement. When South Carolina |
sees fit to throw aside the oligarchical |
and unrepublican methods which char |
acterise its present methods of election |
and government, it may hope for u high |
eT increase than II Il per cent, but it can |
not hope to progress far ahead in one re- |
sheet and IHp behind in 0DOf her