The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-05-01
THE FARMER AND THE DAM.

ions should be Addressed
THE FARMER AND THE DAM.
The meeting of farmers at Summit
last week proved the great interest
felt by the county tax payers on the
dam question.
The opponents Of the scheme may
resent the farmers action as an inter
ference with other peoples affairs, with
which said farmers have nothing to do.
BIT this would be a mistake.
1t is true only those paying taxes
on city property are entitled to vote
in the decision of the matter, but
every citizen of the county has very
decided interest in the scheme.
The agricultural interest will
flourish or decay in proportion to the
city's development. Just as the
merchants prosperity depends upon
the success of the farmer, so does the
farmers market depend on the growth
and enterprise of the city.
The city merchant has q right to
expect the farmer to use every effort
to raise good crops and support home
markets, and on the other hand the
farmer has a right to expect the people
OF the city to do their part in building
up and developing its resources.
The people of Austin have now the
one chance of their life time. Build
the dam and undreamt of prosperity
will follow as surely as day follows
night. Everybody living outside the
shadow of the capitol and not depend
ing on State pay or patronage, can see
this and wonder why the grand enter
prise has been so long delayed. 1t
will be an everlasting disgrace to Aus
tin il 100 of her citizens are found
voting against the dam.
Some timid taxpayer may so vote
from fear of in creased taxation, but
such q sordid fear affects not the
farmer. He knows that increasing
prosperity in the city means increased
value in country properties and as a
consequence increased taxable values,
but he supports proposal that will
bring this result well knowing the
benefits will far outweigh any in
creased taxation.
Get the anvils ready in the city and
the bonfires built on The hills to an
nounce to distant points the birth of
IL new epoch in Austin's history and |
the burial of mossbackism and COM
mercial stagnation. Austin is on a
boom; let her boom.
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE ON AGRI- |
CULTURAL DEPRESSION.
Secretary Rusk has issued an adj
dress giving his opinion as to causes
OF distress among farmers. He at
tributes the present deplorable condi-
ton of the American farmer partly to
carelessness in cultivation and want
of business capacity. He thinks most
farmers have more land than they can
profitably cultivate and that they do
not diversity their crops sufficiently,
all of which is doubtless true, but when
he comes to suggest remedy he
proves how utterly he has failed to
appreciate the subject he treats.
He thinks the farmers condition
would be improved by the imposition
of high import duties on agricultural
proIuce. Of what value to the
farmer would an import duty be on
cotton, corn, wheat, beef, pork or any
other OF our agricultural products?l
OF none whatever, for the simple rea-
son that none of these things are now
or likely to be imported. The very
suggestion of such remedy is an in
suit to the intelligence of the agricul-
tural community, and is mere politi-
cal trick to throw dust in the eyes of
those Republican farmers of the North
west who are fast waking up to the
true cause of their misery-the politi-
cal system, which compels them to sell {
their produce Mt starvation rates and
pay double for all they buy.
THE RAIN AND THE CROPS. I
We live in highly favored section =
of this glorious State. We have a
rich soil and generous climate. Ex- ;
tremes of heat and cold do not affect .
us. Cyclones and tornadoes have no .
terror for us. Floods and long pro- 7
tracted drouths pass us by. Is it
not so? 1t is, but am afraid we do
not fully appreciate our advantages
or make the most of them. During v
the past week many parts of Texas and Ii
adjoining States have been visited by y
flood and tempest and rum has closely C
followed their track. We have had a a
gentle, if persistent, rain that has done o
nothing but good 50 far, and with the "
dry weather for couple of weeks we n
have the best showing for bountiful II
harvest we have had for many years. |
Now is the time for the farmer to put b
in "big ticks" Corn and cotton are Y
cracking their joints and reaching Il
skyward so fast one can readily see a
their growth at a glance, but grass ri
and weeds are not idle, and a sharp Il
plow and unrelentingi vigilance must n
be used to overcome these ever sturdy IL
ioes. N
One days weed killing in the early F
stage of their growth, is worth a
weeks labor after they have become
A mere touch will destroy W
'oung weeds and grass, that il allowed cl
o root deeply, will defy the combined ri