Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-04-23
SOME TRUTHS ABOUT TEXAS.
1.-THE Optics" Ell Paso Correspondent
Is On Hand Again With a Timely
and Newsy Letter.

h'ho osoh osooo log : ohSO coihsoty ouo
alone, but for half q century safe In
the bosom Of the union, floats over the
top OF the court house to. day.
Texas seems to have more legal ho,-
idays than any state we ever lived in
and we have lived In a number OF
them. But, then, this state enjoys a
number of distinctions. One, that it
was an independent commonwealth
and experimental for ten years with
autonomy, to be at last glad enough
to be received into the open arms of
Uncle Sam. Texas tugged at the coat
tails OF the aforesaid Uncle Sam until
the aforesaid kind, old fellow took pity
on the ~ten-year-old STRIPPING and
adopted him into his family. But, alas,
fifteen years later, the young scape-
grace forgot all about the old gentle
mans kindness, and kicked, with a
dozen of the older boys, too, to be let out
of the family relation, and, in the Ian
guage of John G. SAKE, who drew the
moral from cards, "to go it alone"
But 10 this the answer was, if you
don't stay, 'you'll get a lickin'," and
so it had to be, before all of them
could be paci6ed. But this was long
age.
At an entertainment given, last night,
by the public schools, to raise money
for the purchase Of books for the high
school library, the history Of Texas
passed in review. This auditor learned
this lesson: Almost all of
its leaders, early settlers, patriots,
statesmen and soldiers, were from
the southern states. Hence its
thoughts, theories and tests Of govern
ment represented the cavalier and not
the puritan, Virginia rather than Mas
sachusetts. What wonder then, that
when our southern brethren attempted
the experiment to divide the union that
Texas should go with them. But let it
be said to their honor, that whether the
occasion be civic or religious, patriotic,
or political, all classes, ages and con-
ditions abound in a hearty and spon-
taneous expression of love and loyalty,
adherence and affection for the union
it is.
At a recent large and enthusiastic
gathering at San Antonio, where thous-
ands from all over Texas were gathered
together on the occasion of the sixth
annual Epworth League conference,
the speakers of this, as well as other
southern states, expressed
sentiments of loyalty as they were
proper in their addresses, discussing
The great moral issues of the day, such
as. the sanctity OF the Sabbath, the
Epworth league and the Internal liquor
the great missionary movement
and other important questions, that
showed an unbiased observer,
whatever may have been the senti-
nents of this people in the past, their
love Of country cannot be
Questioned.
There is another thing we observed.
The obdurately continued opinion re-
the character and quality of
he Texas people, making no allowance
or changes,is unwarranted and unjust.
70 people anywhere show according
0 the same number more apparent in
diligence. or are better clad, better be.
laved or more a%ppreciative of INTEL
feasts and flow of soul than
people! The writer was ready to
axe note Of any idiosyncrasy or pecu-
iarity in this particular, but none
resented itself. We did not 90 to
coff, and we had no occasion to- We
ound them alike any similar number
I people that might gather among our
'etter class of rural and village and
own population anywhere where float
be stars and stripes.
San Antonio is the political mecca
nd contains the shrine of hero
vorshippers 10 the world-renowned
Its history can be gotten from
he text books, but the localisms have
, be gathered on the spot. Oae Is to
MS effect: When Col. Davy Crockett
rev a line in the centre of the fort
nd last stronghold saying. whoever
'ants to stay with me, fight, bleed
nd die, step on my side of the line of
ITO or more; all stepped over but
ne. That one escaped to Nacog-
oches county eventually, but as be
'as making his way thro' the double
'all to the north and then to the west
finally reaching in the end east
'exas, they tell it, he should have said,
lat while making his escape his heart
eat so loud, he was afraid the. Next
ans on the other side of the wall
3uld hear 1t beat. There were three
in the south room (if we have
le compared directions right The
ally survivor Of the Alamo is one of :
lese three, a Mexican woman, a hun
and eleven years old, living at
lis time in San Antonio.
A beautiful and perhaps the most
,puIous city in Texas is San Antonio.
shrubs, trees, everywhere.
arm in winter, hot in summer, but ]
ad In verdure fair, the larger part Of
e year.
1t is this year the convention city.
rst the lengue conference, April 14th
10th. This week the battle Of
'wers and the Knights Templars'
'nclave. In June, 9th to 9th, the
ate endeavor convention. For all
ese the railroads have made a FIVE 4
liar round-trip rate to remotest I
'ints 10 the state, which meant for r
Paso delegates less than two-fnhs
a cent per mile, for it is $50 miles
I'm here to San Antonio. The rail-