The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-02-02
FARM NOTES.
Edited by John C. Edgar Duval, TO whom "a az
communications for this column shoulu Oe "N
dressed

1ressed.l
Many are the devices for eXtermlh-
ating Johnson grass, but few are the
successful ones, and they, though et-
fective, are generally impracticaDle'
Until some effective and easily APP
piled remedy can be discovered, tn
only safeguard we have is to aVoiu
the sowing of the seed. The value OF
the grass as feed is admitted by us
bitterest enemies, but so is the TACT
that it is an unmitigated curse when
it mixes with cultivated crops. It's
introduction to farming district
should he prohibited by laws as
stringent as that which refers to the
introduction of smallpox. 1t is to be
hoped that our Legislators may see
the urgency of action and support the
bill of Bell county's representatives
and they will surely receive the
blessing of the farmers OF the state.
~
[ have often pointed out the injus'
tice of county and state farms to the
farmers of the county. Every trade
objects to the competition OF convict
labor, and convicts cannot he allowed
to eat the bread of idleness. Ihey
have been gradually but untaillnngly
passed from the workshop to the farm
till eVe en- that wide domain is tull to
overfl )wing, and yet one of our saplent
legislators seeks the application OF
$500, 900 of the permanent school fund
to the extension of the state farm.
This means the production of more
cotton and corn to compete with the
already over competed farmer. The
willing horse always gets the heavy
load, and the more patiently farmers
endure the burdens 81 lavishly be-
slowed upon them by our law makers,
acting in the interests of others, so
long will the infiiction continue.
Farmers should let their repretenta-
tives know their disapprOval Of this
proposed scheme.
Nv
About three years ago, says the
Rural New Yorker, Texas passed an
alien land ownership law SO wide in
its scope and dramatic in its enact
ments that it caused so serious stag
nation of general business ana threat
ened such a Withholding OF outside
capital not only in Europe but in other
states of the union, that clamorOus
demand was made on the governor to
call an extra session of the Legislature
to repeal the obnoxious measure.
The courts declared the law void,
however, and its advocates, who could
easily have secured legislation of a
moderate and constitutional nature on
the subject, were lett without any
change in the old law.
AS a result, an association of foreign
capitalists is just concluding negotia'
tions for the purchase of l 800, 900 acres
of excellent cotton lands in three adj
joining counties in the state, with the
intention OF raising the staple on a
large scale. If successful, doubtless
similar enterprises will be undertaken
not only in the Lone Star state,
but in several of the
other Southern states also. The
strongest promoters Of the objection
able Legislation were the farmers. 1t
to be hoped that the tiasco will teach
them that even aliens and invested
interests generally have some rights
secured by treaties or the national
and state constitutions which cannot
be violated by hasty and Incorporate
legislation.
The Rural New Yorker is generally
well posted on every subject it
handles, but this time it lacks a good
deal of knowing the whole truth on
the anti-alien land law fiasco. 1t is
true the original bill worked great
injury to the state before it was de-
clared invalid by the court, but it is
not true that the previous condition OF
the law continued and still prevails.
We know that another attempt was
made to concoct an alien land law
that would "hold water" and that q
new and improved edition was passed
at special session of the Legislature e
and is now in force. Whether that is
storm proof remains to be seen; but
anti-foreigners seem to be satisfied
with it and no one is kicking.
1t will be news to most
readers to learn of the intention of the
n W cotton growing syndicate. Just
think of it, farmers, now wrestling
with the cent cotton problem. We
had almost concluded that the only
way to ensure the increase in value OF
cotton was to lessen the acreage and
production, and now we are told that
this foreign syndicate proposes in
creasing the acreage about so per cent.
If any capitalists should enter into
this business on the scale indicated, it
means failure to them, and great in
jury to the present producers, as the
staple cannot be produced at profit
in larger quantity than at present. 1t
is to be hoped that the r. n. Y. is as
badly informed on this subject as on
the other.
No capitalist who knows anything
about cotton growing would invest a
dollar in such company; but we
know that those who manipulate
such schemes know how to SCOOP in
the ducats of the unwary, and cot =.
ton growing syndicate might mate
rialize and do mischief for year or
two till it burst, an event that would
surely happen.
-
The price of pork has been steadily
advancing lately. Why? Short sup