Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1892-12-10
AN ExUELLENT ENTERPRISE.

An enterprise, the worth of which
to Texarkana is incalculable, is being
conducted by Mayor S. ID. Larry, of the
West side, in the upbuilding of what
is known as Lary's colony, near Tex
arkana Junction, place five
miles west of this city.
We learn from Judge Lray himself
that he has about fourteen hundred
acres of land in cultivation on his sew
eral farms in that vicinity, and that
large tracts of land are being cleared
and placed in a state of cultivation an
nually. He tells us that there are full
ly one hundred and fifty voters on
these farms, three church houses and
good school. That the people are
in reasonably comfortable and con.
tented condition, and everything fair
~ prosperous. Mr.. Larry has been
working on this admirable project
for several years, and had
the satisfaction of seeing his pet
project advance year alter year
until now it would seem that final and
complete success is safely assured. To
the casual reader this enterprise may
appear of little worth or note. but to
the well informed and thinking
mind it will be fraught
both with interest and Importance.
Whom we realize the natural advan-
tages of our country and its facilities
for the accumulation of wealth and
plenty, then look around us at the
poverty, want and general wretched-
ness, especially among the farm
ing classes, we are forced to
the conclusion that something
or perhaps many things, must be rad
ically wrong. We have both lands
and labor in abundance. Our climate
is, all things considered, almost unsur-
passed, for agricultural purposes.
Hence there can be but one rea-
son why this is not one of the
most prosperous farming countries
in the land and that is, we do not take
advantage of our opportunities. The
fact is that labor and time are both
wasted A large per cent
of our farming is done by wholly un-
skilled negro labor, two thirds of
which j; entirely wasted. Now what
the country needs above all else
is intelligent and skilled agricultural
labor. This we can only get in the
near future by educating the farming
classes and that can only be accom-
plished by bringing them together in
large numbers under a wise and judi
cious management. Thus one man
can control hundreds, giving them the
benefit of his knowledge, skill and SUI
perior judgement. In this manner
our ignorant labor may be made in
telligent and that which is now clear
loss to and drain upon the country will
be converted into a distinct gain and
immense benefit to every class and con-
dition of people as well as to our COM
mon country, for that which benefits
the agricultural interest of country,
pust in the nature of things become
direct or indirect aid to every other
interest therein. Thus it can be seen
that Judge Lary's project is the key
which if properly fashioned can be
made to unlock the doors of peace,
plenty and prosperity. Making our
now partially barren and poverty
stricken country to bloom and bios
som like the rose. True it Is that our
country is better than worse, as COM
pared with many others, but there can
be no doubt as to immense room for
improvement and Improvement only
comes with progress. Now that the
example SO necessary to the welfare
and well beng of our country and its
people has been set we anxiously await
the time when II will be adopted and
carried out all over our land. That
the time will soon come, we both hope
and believe.