The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-08
Texas, Whose History Thrills the
Dullest Imagination, Is in the
Midst Of Stirring Times in In
dustry and Commerce.
RICH IN FARM LANDS
FOR THE ENTERPRISING
A Gigantic Empire Which Gould
Supply All the Needs of Man
kind From Within It's Own
Borders and Ignore the World.
BY HERBERT vANpERHooF.

Texas, al; empire in itself, larger than J
the republic of France. and richer in
Europe! Texas the he Lone star tar st state.
equal in extent to seven New Yorks!
Texas, whose birth was heroic, whose
ht4 W be ant Texas Tex could
pean than in the plain prose of the
economist.
r. France xe supports 100000 Of people in
slightly. greater than those Of France,
has today population of 304s,71o peo-
pie. Her population grows by leaps and
state, while only New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Illinois. Ohio and Missouri sur
pass her in the North. -. -.
by. shortest routes, and much can be
said for the theory, then Texas is surely
the coming center Of American exchange.
| The shift from the Atlantic to the Cuff
| of Mexico has been observable the last
few years.. The completion of the Pan
anna canal will accentuate that inclination
! become what the Mediterranean is to,
| Europe. ..,'. -.
b. Texas is the largest and richest body
Of Galveston H ' surpasses that Of any other.
! Indeed, it is the one f1rst-class, ~commodi-
Gus, approachable, adequate harbor on
al that immense stretch of coast. -, 1t
And behind Galveston lies not only
Texas, the empire in itself, but the whole
and west to the Pacific. The commerce
i Of those ports which seek Europe will
not travel the long land route to the
b by Of Me aosK ana ff
ward.
! The Gateway to Mexico.
Moreover, Texas is the gateway to
MaYiNn 0rorinQ11X- 1Qn0hfar
ancient Spanish dependency, Texas, with
Its Spanish Aztec nomenclature and
is the matur doorstep to the
main cross the railways which connect
with the new lines into the Mexican re-
public, and the increasing traffic thereon
| will enrich the state fabulously.
However, were Texas isolated from
the world, were her situation not what it
is, making her the scene of great cross
ways, she stu would be the. seat Of gre great
in herself she contains everything which
is necessary to the support Of a varied
population. She could be Independent Of
aance Of trade IN Ser favor as aganst
the world-but actually Independent. An
embargo could be put upon her coasts
and a Chinese wall be raised around her
boundaries; yet within the bosom of her
prairies, plateaus. sWa1nps, are riches
SUFFICIENT to supply the every want OF
! civilized mankind. =.
rid to temperate: she has ,rafnfalls vary
ing from torrential to Saharan; her land
in part Is half buried in the sea and in
part consists Of extensive continental up
lands; her productions include sea island
cotton and Northern wheat Asiatic rice
! and American corn. Louisiana mules and
Texas steers; while in the bowels Of her
} hills are massed coal and iron and all
other minerals in abundance, and from
: her southeastern swamps oozes petro-
, leum as water from an oversoaked
l sponge. @>@'
Texas and Her Romance. -.
The present history of Texas-com.
e mercial, industrial, agricultural-is as 70.
: mantle as the romance Of her past, ant
q San Antonio. Austin, Galveston, Corpu:
. Christi, Dallas, are new in size and build
= Ing. They have been enlarged in night
as it were, and today are busting, mod.
t ern business, American towns. Yet, wha1
g most +1 Western elites have not they hayt
- named after one Of Texas heroes, Of
Galveston, which recently the gulf in.
g vaded, OF. San Antonio, which holds the
J, Alamo, they possess backgrounds, pic.
a turesque or tragic. -. p.
$ States in the Union, such as Massa
E cchusetts and Virginia, may have greater
histories than Texas, but none has
(, history so thrilling. Every chapter is {
l. character Is heroic.
d The Spanish conquerors from Mexico
!. who first explored and then colonized
! the Tennessee frontiersInen. who won in
dependence for their adopted land; tn
:; Aanchers and cowboys, who character
e were each and all personalities of sur
e passing picturesuueness.
IL San Antonio Historic Ground.