The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-23
THE TRADE OF HOUSTON.
Professor S. Walerhouse Makes Some In
terestine Comments.
PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE RAISED IN TEXAS
He Urges the Cultivation of Rnmie,
Most valuable Fibre--A Tribute
TO Houston.

Among the many prominent delegates 20
the Transmississlppi Congress last week
, we're Prof s. Waterhouse. whose very In
teresting and valuable paper on Trade
With the Orient" was read last Wcdnes-
/ day. Prof. Warehouses; connection with
the Washington university at ST. Louis Is
well known. He Is a deep thinker and has
written many excellent articles upon topics
OF commercial and industrial interest In
conversation with q representative OF The
Post Saturday morning, while on the ex-
cursion down the bayou. Prof. Waterhouse
made the following Interesting and timely
' observations:
1t is a strlkingly Significant fact that
the trade of Houston is more than one
third of the foreign commerce OF Chilli
That a city OF less than 100000 inhaDi-
tants with an area of less than ten square
miles, mas traffic one-third as large as
that of an empire 1000 900 square miles
q In extent with a population OF 33OOOO,0O0,
Is surprise that is full OF economic sug-
Y gestious.
From an immemorial past China has
: pursued a restrictive policy. 1t has OPP
posed innovation and repealed the I'M
= provements of Western civilization But
tine ClLlLGDS OF iOuSlOH nave Dctu iihbh'"
| with the Quickenlng impulses of modern
o progress They have devoted educated
energies TO the task of material develop
ment The results show the difference
Q between the lethargy of the East and tho
enterprise OF the West n the people OF
Texas would reach their highest possibii-
ties of commercial greatness, they ought
to diversity their Industries.
"It has long been a matter of surprise
: TO me that Texas has not introduced the
culture of ramie Tails beautiful textile Is
the strongest vegetable fiber in the world
Ii is perennial, 1t is almost as fine as
silk Moisture does not impair its strength
Its hlanenss are alike suited to the
coarsest and the finest fabrics. Its text
:. ures range from the sails OF the Defender
0 90 laces so hlmy that dew would render
them invisible. Its extent of usefulness
' is almost unlimited The demand far ex-
i ceods the supply. Texas can annually pro-
o duce millions OF tons OF this fiber. one of
4 my friends assured me that he had raised
u five crops of ramie in one season in this
State But two or three crops are proba-
bly, the average yield The latest machines
T. for preparing the fiber have not been eA-
- amined by me. If the claims OF the in
ID ventors are wsll founded, the cultivat on
OF ramie can at once become profitable
Texan industry. But If the decorticatols
II are not thoroughly effective, Is
70 there not within the limits OF
1t this great State some inventive
Il genius who can solve the problem OF de-
IL corticaton? Wealth and fame will re-
10 ward success. Whenever a satisfactory
IN decortlcator renders the culture OF
lc ramie remunerative industry. the new
~ textile Will be a greater source OF publ q
l. opuleuce than a gold mine. For no one can
10 tell when the deposit Of precious m atsl
H. would give out, but, with intelligent fer
la tili2ation, the rich soil OF Texas can never
~ be exhausted.
\ Texans ought to grow every crop which
At the soil and climate of this latitude per-
le mlts TO be profitable II only single
staple Is raised and that falls the loss Is
IS irremediable. But II many crops are pro
nj duced the success OF some will partially
A. compensate for the failure OF others.
Is Texans ought. toe to Increase the mum
her and variety of their manufacturers
France is one OF the richest countries in
Europe. and Its wealth has been derived
more from myriad OF small manufacto-
ar res than from a few large ones The
D. development and diversincation OF manu-
p featuring industries would enlarge the
- home sale and consumption of agricultural
~, products, prevent the improvdence Of sell
-, ing crude commodities at low price, and
10 buying the finished manufactures at 4
~ high one. avoid the cost OF double trans.
III portatlon, which such an unthrfty prac.
>" tce implies, and enrich the State with
the great values which skilled labor I'm
parts to raw material
-. TO reduce the cost OF carrying to mar
hit kets the products OF their fields, mine!
l., and workshops, the people OF Texas shoulC
'' multiply the number of their railroads
H. deepen, II necessary the channels of thei
or rivers, and improve their harhors so tina
p deepdraft steamships can come TO thel
or wharves and enable them TO avail them
de selves of the cheap freight of OCEAN trans
nd portation With the enlargement OF II,
EyStpm 0f railway nd III
completion OF It's deep water facilities
Texas will begin TO realize its higher pos
sibllities OF commercial greatness.
1T is morally certain that the Nicaragua
ID canal will be built, Neither the delays O
ay congress nor the intrgues OF diplomacy
IT, nor the opposition OF transcontinenta
80 railroads can long postpone this grea
or work, At once upon Its completion. large
40 volumes OF trade will begin TO how froT
~ the Orient to the Pacific coast It Ia
rs been publicly stated that companies who's
~ steamships will run between San deg
"' and the Far East have already been or
ganized Two OF the cities which the con
structlon OF the isthmian shipway wi
Immediately beneHt are San Diego an
'o- Los Angeles. Between these cities an
m Texas there ought TO be the shortest rail
- read that engineers can build In tn
transportation of light and valuable mer
MS chandise, time is often more importan
sh than low fretghts, The traffic betwee
% Texas and the cities OF Southern Cali
ay, fornla will be highly profitable Their
too. the constant and steadily increasln
flow Of passenger travel to and from tn
Pacific coast would be another source ,
- public enrichment.
with its fine stores. residences an
"a churches; with it's commercial facilities
a rich tributary country, and the progress
81 sye spirit OF It's people. Houston has mad
ss- very favorable impression on the mind
OF Us visitors,
Every member OF the Transmississipl
Congress will carry 10 his home hroads
lsn0'~'Hdge of the great resources and ca
LOT pabilities OF Texas. OF the rapld grow
ith and splendid possibilities o. Houston, an
ma n grateful appreciation OF the fine cour
M, tesies and elegant Inequalities with whr
this city has entertained ITS guests"
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