Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-02-21
THE PfoPLE's COLUMN
VIEWS OF AN OUTSIDER.


TO The Herald:
1T is not wise to interfere in family
quaGrels," is IN old and true saying, and
to see ourselves as others see is is just
as good to think over.
| believe | am as strong in my desire
to see Brownsville advance. am as anX-
ious for the future of this section as any
of the citizens or the transients who love
to winter here; in fact. in Il way | par
take Of the interests of both these
classes
Now, | do not wish TO %antagOniZe or
make. enemies, for l do love this place
and with Il couple of exceptions know of
no persons here as otherwise than
friends. One of the solid business men
Of the city said to mtE>You are from the
outside, not tied up with the city and
this section: how does the situation here
look to you?" .A 14
| beg leave to answer in this way
through the paper:
The pavement is down; it is very
good In fact. 90 to Fort Worth, San An
tonic or Houston and find better if YOU
can-and it should be paid for. | admit
that all people using my sidewalk ought
to build one in front Of their own prop
erty, but human nature is the same about
everywhere, and very selfish; and we are
apt to walk on Smiths walk and let
Smith walk in our mud. unless the au-
thoritics compel us to build.
1t is Il tax and Il severe one. and to
ONE extent should be borne by all the
citizens and what should be and is, are
far apart. And let me say personal
feeling, as to whether an honest election
put in the city officials or not Il know
nothing of that matter) the fact re-
mains that every bit of property now
improved by street pavements is worth
much more than the amount required to
pay for it.
l have been through just such matters
at home, and just now am helping to
pay for a drainage ditch that is helping
some parties a mighty sight more than
myself. Texas is not the only state
where drains are being excavated.
BY the way, heard a tourist here say,
why, these folk claim they have no
money to pay for street cleaning and
Scaycnger work. but vote $500 TO hire
a lawyer to fight some city matter.
Funny, isn't it?"
The future Of Brownsville does not
depend. or ought not to, on what in
fluencc some other towns and their
boomers may see fit to allow-it depends
on us here; and n united effort will
eventually make this as good a town as
Galyeston4
VIII, letme ask. stick for your particu-
lar idea as to how the harbOr matter
should be brought about. If the United
States will open Brazos Santiago, let's
have it and then the ship canal. The
harbOr has to be opened. just think Of
it, Houston's canal is from Galveston. or
some other harbor. and with the pass
opened VIC will be having business going
on through our port and our city. fol
lowing which it will be an easier matter
for securing the ship canal. / for one
believe in the latter. but believe as above
that it will be or can he finished to a
success easier after the harbOr is made
by Uncle Sans engineers at the pass.
There are times who our personal de
sires for personal pride or gain should
be subservient to the public good.
Let us get together and eventually
make Brownsville and its port the best
between Tampico and New Orleans. for
see the territory that may become
must become-tributarv to it.
One railroad will not always govern
our Outgoings and incomings. Other
roads will come to us.
~E. 4. BROWNELL.