The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-10


The subject assigned TO inc for discussion
rs closer Relationship Between the Far
uer and the Railroads." II simplIfrs the
existence OF close Relationship, and that
closer relationship ls desirable aud possible
TO make plea for more intimate and hnr-
monious relations between the farmer and
the railroads would be TO repeat much that
has been snid In recent wears nv others
who have presented cogent reasons for CO.
operation between transportation compauies
and those OF our citizens who are engaged
IN agricultural pursuits, ] cnn not hope to
ndd anything to their arguments except IA
time and the actual results Of co-operBtive
EFFORT have indicated their prophecies and
demonstrated the value Of the theories they
advanced.
II has not been so many years since mon
who suggested the possibility and DESIRABLE.
lily OF cooperation between the railroads
and the farmers Incurred derisiop ana In.
vited ridicule. The assertion that there
was au identity OF interest was regarded
by many persons as absurd. and the idea
ohtatned that the natural and inevitable
relationship. between them was that OF
enemity. To refute whatever remnant of
this Idea may remain. AMI to oyercornc tho
Isolated instances Of skepucism. we npcd
no longer rely upon theories hut can point
TO the fact that railroads and farmers are
cooperating 10 their mutual advantage
And, gentlemen, / want to say TINT the
Southern Pacific and related lines hns mn
onicer managing their affairs in the person
Of Mr., c. H. Markham. vice president or
these companies. that has done moro FOR
the GARNER than any other that It has been
my pleasure to observe. He is their friend
and he wishes them to understand that he
desires their friendship. and that the I'm.
terests OF the farmer and the railroads are
identical. Thousands Of Texas farmers
and business men Will testify to the truth
of this assertion
We need not stop TO inquire why It was
that the railroads and the farmers Of
Texas were go long In coming to n realiaa-
ton NJ their common interests nor In OK.
pressing regret that closer Relationship was
not entered upon Mt an earlier date. We
may pass that question With the remark
that both the farmers and tho railroads
were mutually responsible for tho delay,
and that both are entitled to the credit
for the adoption Of q moro enlightened
sensible and progressive policy.
In Texas the men who invested their
money In the construction Of railroads ala
SO with the expectation Of making n profit
upon their investments. ms did The men
who came 80 Texas 10 engage iu farming
All Of them had faith I'm tho resources Of
the country ana looked forward hopefully
10 the inhahitaticn Of the lands and the
consequent Development NJ the resources
Immigration and development did not come
MS speedily as they expected ami both the
investors IN railroads and I'm farming prop
erty were In measure disappointed
few years ago conditions were ripe for a
radical change, aud whom the now policy
under which the prosperity Of the State
had been increased was inaugurated the
farmers were ms ready as the railroad PEG.
pie 70 adopt II.
NEED FOR DENSE POPULATION.
The ultimate expectations OF the owners
Of Texas railroads will not be realized
until the state shnH be dcnsely populated
It's resources fully developed, fits soil de
voted to proper uses and brought to the
highest state of productivity. The man
ayers Of Texas railroads concluded that to
attain that end It Is necessary, in the FIRST
place that the farmers already IN Texas
should Increase the value Of their farm pro
auctions and become prosperous, and, IN
the second place, that II Is not possible 10
turn the tide of immigration 10 Texas until
II should he thoroughly demonstrated by
the formers already In Texas that farming
* profitable Having reached that conclu-
sion, the railroads OF Texas during the past
few years assisted the farmers ot this state
70 Increase the production of tholr FARMS
and to secure larger returns therefor
What ] have already said precludcS the
idea that the railroad owners and managers
were actuatcd by nhilanthroplc motives
alone, although ] believe they delight IN
the prosperity Of the farmer, and Of their
fellow men generally as much as any other
people. Still their motive In this Instance
was not pure philanthropy, hut the promo
ton Of self-interest. 1t contemplated the
increase Of the farmers prosperity ia order
that the earnings Of the railroads might
eventually he swclled Their proposition 70
the farmers was. In effect, this; Let us
work together so that each Of us may re
ccive larger returns from our Investments
and orr iabors" In all the work that has
followed this principle Of reciprocity has
heen kept In view, and the railroads have
not asked the farmer to engage I'm the cul-
tivation Of any crop that did not promise
increased profit to him as well as the rail-
road
Railroad men have urged the farmers Of
Texas to diversity their crops, because the
diycrsincation plan lnsureS the railroads
against serious depletion OF tonnage ana
revenue; but Il also insures the farmer
against complete loss Of HIS years labor.
They have asked the farmer to plant new
crops, because such crops would add TO
the tonnage and revenue Of the railroad,
but they have shown the farmer that thcSe
crops would afford him greater profit than
those already grown
They have asked the farmer TO assist
them IN demonstrating the value Of the
country for farming. because they wanted
object lessons with which they might at
the farmer that Increase in the population
Of the country woald rebound to his bene-
Let me give you one example illustrating
specifically the interest which the railroads
have with tho farmer Ia intensitylng the
farming Of this siaie Cotton; from ron ne me-
Tonnage: from tho farmers point OF view
II IS a desirable crcp when produced In
were sufficiently large to keep us busy
throughout the year In handling II, we
would ask for nothing better, But the
amount of cotton which the farmers a.
Tex1s may produce, without Inviting
rulnous prices is limited Therefore. II
Is impossiblc that cotton can ever he pro
duced In Texas In sufficient quantity to
make the railroads prosperous. The farm
ers az Texas have become convinced that
fhev must In order to secure satisfac-
tory income grow other crops than cot
ton Their necessity hts in exactly with
the desires OF the railroads to round out
their earnings.
The average annual production Of an 'al,
cotton farmer is about three bales. That
means that he furnishes 70 the railroad
three-fourths Of ton OF freight upon
which the railroad receives about SO for
TRANSPORTATION There is scarcely any
other money crop' which the farmer can
grow that will afford so little revenue per
capirn Of farming population ms cotton. II
h therefore 10 the interest Of the rail-
roads TO encourage the production OF crops
which will afford more tonnage and more
revenue per farmer; but In seeking TO In
duce the farmer 10 grow such crops II Is
necessary 10 show him that he viii also
mako a greater profit. II has been already
demonstrated that the new methods OF
farming which have been adopted In Texas
and tho new crops which have been intro
duced bring the farmer lnrger returns
than the old methods and old crops pro
duced. while the tonnage Of the railroads
has been substantially Increased and their
prospects frightened
II seems necessary 20 say more concerns
ING the reasons which actuate the owners
ana managers 81 Texas railroads 10 co
operate With the farmer except to add that