The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-02
TWENTY -FOUR PAGES,
"FACTs TO PoNDER.o


Mr.. l.. s. Fawcett Of this city. who EVIL
IDENTIFY derives a great deal OF comfort from
time to time In bringing his ponderous
mental battle AK into play upon some prop
ositson announced or position assumed by
The Houston Post. is to the front again
With another communication. to an evening
paper, in which exception is taken to The
Posts recent references TO a plfa for repub-
licaG rule in this county.
The Post had declared that the intims-
ton that democratic control in Harris
county was a warning to capital and pop
ulation to keep away" was gratuitous in
suit to the dominant local sentiment and n
reflection upon the integrity of the demo-
cratic administrations which the county
has enjoyed for years past.
Mr.. Fawcett. in attempting to answer
this declaration, undertakes to show, by the
logic of unsustained statement. that capital
and population have for years been avoid
ing Texas. for example. while flowing into
the newer Western Statea." Let's see
how the census figures bear out this state
ment- Compare Kansas and Nebraska with
Texas. During the decade frcm 1880 to
1880, the last covered by the census Kan
sas gained l3l coo In population, Nebraska
Coz COO. In the same period Texas gained
Ga. 900! In 1880 the per capita wealth OF
Kansas was siei and in 1880 s244, OF Ne
braska Sl7i and $500, wGile the increase
in Texas Was from s20l to 1921!
Here are three Western States. two of
them solidly republican during the 'S0s
ard one soldly democratic. In the demo-
cratic State there was II greater increase
In both population and per capita wealth
than in the republican newer Western"
States!
But Mr.. Fawcett thinks that It is sin
GUAR that Eastern money is skipping the
South TO go 10 China. AS matter of fact
more capital has gone into Southern cotton
mills alone In the past five years than into
any ether manufacturing industries in any
other section OF the country The money
going TO China is the syndicate money that
is held for special concessions and monop-
oily w'hdoh can not longer be easily Obtained
in this country. while the capital which has
been multiplied by millions In every South
ern State. including Texas in the past few
years. is the legitimate investment money
OF the country.
The Statistican and Economist OF 1895
informs us that the expenses OF state gov
eminent In Texas in 1892 were 81 sos 900
per annum. with larger population and
territory than Kansas. where the expenses
were s31s7.0o0, or than Nebraska, where
the expenditures were si,i6S. 600.
II appears. then that democratic COM
munities in the West are growing more
rapidly in population, wealth and industry
than the typical republican States and are
governed with less cost to the people. The
comparisons, too. are made with Kansas
and Nebraska when they were rock ribbed
republican and peopled chiefly by men
like Mr.. Fawceu-that peculiar brosl who
assume the roles Of teacher reformer and
missionary wherever they go!
MIR. Fawcett should not conclude because
he has failed to materially add to the
population, wealth, or industrial activity
Of Texas, or because he has been debarred
from shedding the light OF his wisdom and
experience upon the administration of af-
fsaFs In Harris county. that population and
capital have not been flowing In here In
> marked manner. II he had been here
longer and were better qualified to speak
from experience Is one Of the sons OF the
coll be would Be able to point to a won.
derful growth OF Houston within the past
few years Mr.. Fawcett's lectures. which
i he reads 10 The Post and the democracy