The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-31
ny N q FOSTER, J

tBY NJ. Il. FoSTER,)
Business men do not seem to realize tns
narrow limitations OF Texas cities as mar
kets FOR agricultural products.
The men in our cities who cry out lot
diversity Of crops do not seem to UNDER
stand that before such condition can DC
brought about there must be a diyersi'y
OF markets.
The farmer has realized this, and II Is
for this reason that the platitudlnous es-
says on crop liberalization that have been
thrown at him for the last twenty-five
years have had so little effect
The Texas farmer Is waiting for the fac
tories and the people to consume his divoF-
sifed products before beginning to revolu-
TONIC his farming methods The one-crop
idea that he is accused of entertaining Is
merely a reflection of an actual condition
In our cities and towns
Did you ever stop to think that there
Is really no market in Texas for anything
except the products of the cotton plant
A limited amount of other products can
be sold, hut II any one thing save cotton
Is planted on an extensive scale 1t VIII be
Just so much wasted Is 1t better for the
farmer TO raise garden products that VIII
rot on tho ground for want of market
than to devote his time to 5-cent cotton
Any amount of cotton can be sold In Texas,
and the ready cash can always be obtained
therefor, but can this be said of any other
product?
The farmer can't create a market for
other products. That must be done BY the
men with money to invest, who generally
live in the cities. The CITIES must increase
their industries, establish factories apd Of
fer markets for diversity of crops. When
that is done tho farmer can be relied upon
to do his part. He is anxious to escape
from cotton slavery. but the path to ''di-
versified freedom must be opened by the
cities.
There will be a meeting in Houston to-
| day to perfect plans for tobacco ware
have become interested in such project,
and 1t is believed that the enterprise will
prove paying one.
| Those who take stock in this warehouse
will be assured that their investment will
| net them a healthy per cent of gain. IT
can not be said, however, that the assur-
| ance of safe investment will entirely ac-
tuate them. The business men Of Houston
are beginning to realize that new markets
must be established here if the city is to
continue in the line of progress and COM
| mercial expansion. They know that the
tobacco industry has been developed won-
derfully in South and Southeast Texas, but
they perceive that It's limit will soon be
reached unless some city like Houston Of
fers market for this product.
| %%%
! One way in which to assure the tobacco
growers that their crop can be sold Is to
establish q large tobacco warehouse In
Houston. In tho course of time the in
dustry can DO further developed by cigar
factories and similar enterprises, but a
tobacco warehouse will be good begin
ming. 1t will not only give the grower q
steady market for his tobacco, but II will
insure him of better prices. He will nc
| longer need to rely upon the buyer in East
ern markets. who is oftentimes SO unscru-
pulous in his purchases, as he Is resource
| full in excuses. The commission man, who
is sometimes honest, but oftencr full of the
tricks of his trade, will also be eliminated
1t is true that there can be fraud aud
robbery in even a home industry like the
one contemplated. but 1t is believed that
the mon who have been asked to take
stock in this enterprise will sec that it IL
conducted properly. 1t is to their interest