The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-02-25
FROM THE SOUTHWEST.
The Editor Writes a Few Observations O
His Trip to Texas. r.

|
| His Trip to Texas. r.
There are signs of the red man d be
found between st. Louis and TIxas
along the st. Louis and San Francisco
Railroad. But there are signs only,
for civilization in its highest type has
/ made the country to blossom as the
| rose. Even along that part of the
road between a point few miles
south of Fort Smith, Ark, and Red
River, which is the eastern portiop of
the Indian Territory, and embraces
| the Chickasaw Nation, the red man.
who is in evidence at the railway sta
tiOns, presents an AmericaniZed APP
| pearance. He may be seen mounted
on the strong-muscled Indian pony. a
man hardy of limb and keen of eve,
dressed in combination style, so to
speak, retaining some of the garments
| and ornaments of the untamed faith
ers, and nearly always with the handy
lariat hooked on to his big horned
saddle. The latter is his pet, and
next to his wholesome appetite re-
ceives much of his attention. 1t is
his pillow at night when on a journey,
hunt or a cattle drive Its trap
pings and decorations are measured
only by the means of the owner.
Hence the Indians saddle is usually
| the sign of his wealth. 1.-The II--rfS1
| Country" as it is called, no longer
satisfies in all respects the morbid
curiosity of the seekers for sensations
! You never hear of train being 'held
| up by Indians. Under the gentle
| but powerful influence of church and
State in their separate and distinct
| spheres. he has been brought up to a
higher place, and when you read of
| the great Indian school at Carlisle,
| Pa, you should recoilect that the
young men and women there in train
ing come from the Territory In fact,
| the brOnZe-faced figure with stolid
visage and strong jaw, set off by long,
| coarse, jet black hair and sombrero,
who gazad at our train in the Chick
asaw Nation at station after station,
may this coming June meet his sweet
| daughter graduate on this very rail
route, and be ready, too, with ample
transportation facilities, not only to
carry her, but an average number of
| trunks, across the plains to the mod
| ernized home. Here we find a study
| III government and human evolution.
Men who once subsisted on wild ami
| mails and fowls, and but for their
skins and feathers would have had to
go naked; who fought with weapons
| of flint and seasoned wood, and who
killed each other and carved their
own bodies in pursuance of savage
whim or instinct, have disappeared
over in the happy hunting grounds.
By gradual stages the brute has been
merged into the man Of affairs. If
there yet fingers any Of the old I'M
tanned sort, the fact is emphasized by
the ready rOpe-stretching way they
have down here in the Federal courts,
process that made judge in Fort
Smith famous--honoredJ Judge Parker
and that spread a salutary warning
to such self-evident good effect.
1t was something of a surprise to
learn that there are still many thous-
ands of acres of Frisco grant lands for
sale in Missouri. The State is hardly
ever thought of now as one of the
young frontier commemorative, so
well provided is it with railways, fac
tories, large cities and the other ele
ments of progress and growth. But
it is learned that the wise western
policy in early days of aiding and en-
couraging capital to build railways
through vast reaches of unoccupied
fertile lands was one of the measures
adopted by Missouri. Thus her gov
eminent lands were put to practical
purpose. The st. Louis & San Fran
cisco Railroad has some 100000 acres
Of land grants left. We get view of
specimens of these from the car win
dows. They lie alongside of and are
mixed up with the famous wheat,
corn and apple lands of Missouri. No
wonder the State is getting on with
such rapid strides! The founders
counted well. The heirs of her mu-
nificent public domain, the railways,
have met liberality with even greater
liberality; and any one of our editor
ial party could step off the Frisco
train into possession of some of the
roads lands at astonishingly low
prices. Think of the best land at
from 50 to So per acre. Apart from
what the soil can do in the way of
grain, grasses and those famous APP
pies, one has chance, if he is as
lucky as many others who have gone
before, to dig up zinc, lead or coal.
Southwest Missouri has all of these.
The editorial reflections are soothed
to rest in contemplation of all this.
&c o. II