The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-04-23
TEXAS WORLDS FAIR CONVENTION


TEXAS WORLDS FAIR CONVENTION
Fort Worth has taken the initiative
and the state convention to decide
how Texas shall be represented at the
Worlds fair has been called to meet
in that city May II, next. The time
,and place then are settled and now
for the convention itself. No more
important one has been or will be
convened in Texas for years. 1t will
hold up IN its hands the statehood
reputation OF Texas before the eyes OF
the assembled world. Think the
princely way in which Russia, France
and other nations will be represented
at the Worlds fair; think of the ex
hibit the United States must get up
to compete with the aggregated
riches of the old country and
then consider not only the duty Texas
owes her sister states to help piece out
Uncle Sans exhibit, but shine herself
so as to impress upon every one, home or
foreign born, that Texas really is what
she claims to be, the greatest and
grandest state in the union consider
all this well and answer if the con-
yention OF May ~ has not work on
hand of the EXTREMIST Importance.
That convention must have in it no
politics-it must be Strictly business.
Every city and county in the state
should send up to it only their broad
est guaged, most representative men.
This should be done, not because there
will be so much of actual work other
than the mapping out OF a
general plan of action and setting
wheels in motion for its accomplish
ment, but because that convention
must be one essentially of education.
Texas in this matter is embarking in
a new and uncertain field. She is
travelling no beaten track, following
some established precedent. Her men
of brains, OF resource and answering
purpose must get together and discuss
this question fully, that each, when he
returns home, may be a radiating
center, from which shall lead out those
influences that will instruct the entire
state, making it an invincible unit in
this matter. What Texas can do, she
must do well-what she cannot do let
him who knows stand forth and say.
REDUCTION OF PASSENGER FARES.
Armed with the power one of the
leading questions to engage the at
tention of the Texas railway COM
mission will be passenger fare reduc-
ton. In the early years OF the rail-
way era in this state people paid 5
cents mile. Subsequently the leg
islation reduced it to the present
cent rate. While the general public
would like 2 cent or half cent rate,
or better still, to be hauled for moth
ing, would it be treating the roads
with fairness and justice to make Il
still greater reduction? If such re-
duction would cripple these great
agents in the creation of wealth and
property values, would it be q wis
policy for the State to pursue?
The advocates of reduction point to
the fact that while the rate in Texas
is B cents the average for the United
States is two and one,sixth cents. In
Europe it is still less. In England it
is z cents; France, a cent and
half; Germany and Belgium, q
cent and a quarter; Austria and
Hungary, cent; British India, six
tenths of a cent. BY the last men
uOuOd lhto ~ WOulu Do Ot CeU bS from
Austin to San Antonio instead of
$2.70, as at present.
But it must be admitted that the
conditions in America, more espe-
cially sparsely settled regions like
Texas and the new west, and the
densely populated countries of Con-
tinental Europe are entirely different.
Nor would the great bulk of the
American travelling public put up
with the "cheap aud nasty" service
demanded by the pauperized masses
OF Europe, and we on this SHE the
water are willing to pay more and get
better accommodations.
The fact is pointed to that eince
the recent reduction in Hungary from
cent and half to one cent the pas
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