The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-12-13
A SOUTHERN TRH.

Description gives no adequate Iuea VI
tie extent of our country and Ifs bound
less resources. Number, TO most OF us, is
i;rgely an abstraction, having concrete
qualities only In comparison. The hack
ney ed expression, must be seen 10 De
ge appreciated"--i peculiarly pertinent
when applied to the United States ID rel
erence 10 Its geographical extent, Its var
led interests, diversity OF soil and climate,
scenic features and social conditions.
The word empire" is too limited ID It's
significance to be aptly expressive OF
hat the country is.
Travel IS the only medium through
which a comprehensive idea OF the great
ness of the country cau be gather I'd.
Travel impresses one fact most strongly
upon the careful observer, which is, that
Tie natural resources of the country are
so vast that the possibilities of the future
make The progress of the past appear al
most Insignificant in comparison. In
passing through the rich agricultural
dls tricts Of Illinois, traversed by that
magnificent line OF railway, the Chicago,
Darlington IL Quincy, one feels that the
industry of man has here turned the fer
Jlllty of nature into channels conducive
to the greatest public good. Missouri
pays less tribute to the genius of labor,
though it has a soil which is productive
aud enduring. Occupying that border
land between the north ana the once
mystic south, this state has peculiar in
teresJ to Wisconsin people. There is al
ways a feeling of exaltation in turning
the face to the south, as if there remain
cd n our being shred of the old SUM-
worship which the children of nature be-
slowed, and like "Old Shady" the going
home is toward that place where the sun
woos with greatest fervor- Some such
thoughts must have stirred George n
Wiswell of Milwaukee, who was a mem
Ger OF the party, and whose magnificent
voice gave such tender expression to the
melting melodies of the south.
There never was more congenial
crowd than that which accepted the in.
yitatIon of James Barker of the NJ, X. &
L. to visit Texas and the Indian Terri.
tory, The South was not terra iRcOg-
nita to most of them. They had by pre-.
vlous visits learned of the industrial re.
sources of this section, of the boundless
hospitality and graceful courtesy of It's
people and the welcome accorded to all
who should choose to join with them in
had been too long overlooked.
But Texas and the Indian Territory diff.
fer In many respects from other sections OF
ter is hindered by reservation rights, a
species of entail which is as foreign to
American polity as 1t Is repugnant to en-
lightened ideas. There is no class OF
people IN the world whose average lndi-
vioual wealth equals that of the Indians
of the Territory. A tribal right is worth
from $1,000 to $1,000 and this right every
person a member of the tribe enjoys. By
no means are all the Indians shiftless
Many of them have fine farms and have
added largely to their inherited wealth
A majority of them lease their lands tC
the whites and these secure tribal rights
for their children by intermarriage with
the natives. The towns in the Territory
along the line of railway are by no means
insignificant, though the whites are
squatters, interlopers, and subject to ex.
pulsion, except such as have taken unto
themsel ,es wives" from among the dusky
| maidens.
There is no section of the United States
the agricultural possibilities of which eX.
coed those of the Indidn Territory.
It has also mineral wealth in liberal
measure. 1t furnishes the pleasing var.
iety of woodland and prairie, rugged
slopes and gently undulating valleys
1t is we'll watered and the climate is sa
lubrlous. 1t Is not lacking in picturesque
features. The gliding of the hills by the
slowly sinking sun gives the valleys the
charm of dreamy repose which is mex
presslblv soothing, and the wooded
| slopes seem to grasp the shadows as i
| they were the mantle of the coming dark
| ness.
The Indian Territory will not long re-
| main the anachronism 1t is now. 1t is toe
| fertile section to remain permanently
| IN the hands of people lacking the enter.
| prise and diligence to improve opportun.
| tiles here offered freely and for which
| people elsewhere are In constant search
Besides, the banditti who find an asylum
here, have by their lawlessnese, given al
impulse to the demand which has beer
steadily growing lnslstent, that Oppor
tunlty be given for the settlement of the
| reservations by those who can and will en-
| force the laws.
Texas is state unique in it's politica
evolution. The Texas Rangers won ar
empire by their proves and offered the
fruits of their victory to the country III
which their cradles were rocked. Strange
! faulty of craftsmanship! the offer was
| reluctantly accepted and barely escaped
| rejection. When one travels over this
| magnificent state to-day, an empire il
extent and In achievement, with a future
| so full OF promise that present prosper.
lty merely serves as an index of what is
| to be, he cannot help thinking that the
United States came nigh throwing away
pearl richer than all its tribe" And
the glorious history which has descend.
ed to Us by reason of this acquisition
| the struggles Of the early pioneers; tine
war Of independence not less glorious
than our own; the Alamo, we'll named
1.-The Thermopylae of America" the mis-.
slons whose battered walls speak of the
past when war was the handmade of re.
legion and whose dank rooms bear ties
timony to the somber character Of the
religion of the early day.
Texas has been misunderstood by the
people of the north. 1t has within its
confines everything essential to nations
well-belng. It's people are not typical
Southerners, as they have dash of west
ern breezlness which gives piquancy to
'hS vi luS SOuID.
They are loyal to their state save 10 the
one matter of traducing it lin the case of
a few by declaring that elections are
managed corruptly. Ii they would wash
their own dirty linen in this respect and
not advertise the proceeding for the pur-
pose OF securing an audience, great deal
would be done In the way of removing a
false impression toward the state which
Is preludlcial to its interests. Texas is
as great state as California, though it
has not been as self assertive in it's claim
for position, nor has it that comfy of po-
lltlcal interests which would prompt
state pride t. challenge comparison with
the world. Its resources are without
limit and there is a growing spirit of en-
terprlse which is sure in time to utilize
them. These remarks are simply prefa-
tory to more extended article on the
Lone Star State"
DEAFNESS CANNOT RE CJTRFn