Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-04
.sfRRIsaT1oSLaSp BOOM.

fOE uuuUeT Oi years NOElHCin 1CAoo
has been on a boom, as we say, but that
boom has been largely due TO transactions
In lands II has been boom such as is
built up to a greater or lesser extent in all
new opened countries of good character,
but unfortunately 1t is boom that cannot
long remain at fiood-tide unless some hing
beyond mere land values appears to stimu-
late its continuance. Without this stimu-
lus there must follow Grystalization, anc
then things will move along slowly, Just as
they move along in most other older-settied
regions where there is nothing beyond the
usual order Of things to attract attention.
Unless we can show.sOmething entirely bet
ter than the ordinary. Northern Texas VIII
eventually settle down TO q level with Cen
trail Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas.
1t will DC a good region OF country TO 1--we
In and make ends meet through earnest ex-
ertions on the part of its citizens, but it
will not be country of any particular rush
as to progress. The young cities so sud
denly built up on a representation of what
might be- will como to Z stand-stili-some
IF them may go back a little in order to
bring about conformity to the well-known
laws of equilibrium. There will be no par
icular demand for lands, owing to the fact
hat, taking the United States as i whole,
il is comparatively of thin settlement, hence
ordinarily good lands are still TO be had at
low figures over i very wide expanse of
country Merely good lands for sale'' is
no particular drawing card, as yet-there
must be something more on the bills 10
draw population, build up a new country
and push the new cities of that new country
into permanent greatness.
II does not call for the exercise of any
very high degree of philosophy to enable
one TO clearly see how that lack OF something
more on the bills" must work out. There
will be no special demand for lands, hence
''land speculation so-called, will play out,
and with it will play out the
persistent advertising that the region
has heretofore enjoyed. As result the
army of capitalists who in the past have
been anxious TO lend us money on real es-
tate for pushing our progress, will DE
strictly among the things that were. 1t is
folly to suppose that the shrewd capitalist
will lend money on ordinary land with no
special promise for the future-why should
he2 II he wanted the mere land he could
puy as much as he wanted at government
prices in many localities, possibly as good
lands as ours. Why, the idea of borrowing
arge sums of money on cheap lands is su.
premely preposterous, aud unless we can
show some clean reason, BY practical dem
oustration, for why our lands are not soon
TO become extremely cheap lands, We who
are fiddling for the edfcation of capitalists
IN other regions may just rs well hang up
our iiddles and save our elbow grease.
Some one may spring it that we are off in
our talk about borrowing capital on lands,
Is capital is mainly borrowed on city realty.
It all amounts to the same thing in the end.
There must be o local production Of some
Kind sufficient to contribute largely to-
wards sustaining city, else the values of
.ity realty cannot be kept up. No city
san prosper permanently upon what other
regions are doing in this age of railroads.
There was q time when favorable loca-
lions at the mouths of rivers and at other
natural shipping points would sustain city
through its advantages for commerce, but
now those are times Of the past. 1t must
be admitted that such advantages are still
advantages of much Importance, but they
are not enough. The region OF country in
which city is located must produce some
shing 10 give that city permanence. 1t
nust contribute its full share, locally, to
Abe commerce of the world, else its pros
perity cannot be long-lived. or course we
80 not mean by this that the region must
produce everything that the city needs, but
81 must produce an equal to local needs in
point Of value. 1t must produce something
20 give in exchange for the things it needs
Sut does not have. Sustaining city per-
manently on any plan outside of this would
sc something very nearly akin to perpetual
notion. 1t would be like lifting one's self
80 the top of the stairs By pulling upward
sn the Wristbands of ones own trousers.
Local advantages relative TO commerce
are net permanent, nowadays, unless we
light except very few seaport places.
sSe cannot move the sea, but great railroad
-,anters are being duplicated constantly. An
interior city may have tributary to it some
vast agricultural! region, or some rich min
Ing region. and upon this it may live and
prosper for time, or so long as that tribu-
TRY arrangement remains, but cannot You
see that unless some natural advantage ex-
lists which cannot possibly be reached at
another point, that tribute will eventually
be cut Of by the establishment of another
market more convenient to the source of
prcduction2 Thus it is plain that it will
not do TO depend upon distant tributary
region for city's prosperity-its tributary
region must be made so close around ii as to
cut of all chances OF successful rivalry,
and unless this can be done the chances for
that citys future greatness are materially |
reduced.
What city makes of itself by local pro-
suction goes far towards giving it such ad- |
as will hold distant regions tribu- |
tary TO it; but il must have home back
bone-depeud upon that. Plenty of home |
backbone viii keep it moving-keep up the |
value Of its realty and thus keep capitalists |
willing to supply it wi h all the money it |
needs on local lean. This will enable it to |
create such advantages as must draw to |
itself directly, even through the streets of |