Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-07-31
in OUR


he LAREDO TIMES is Dit Worries
because Brownsville invites the
Foi. OF San Antonio in asking the
fean government to build its first
way along the coast, touching Mata-
ks, Tampico and on down to Mexico
il difficult to follow the logis OF
Times in the matter, in view OF the
1T that there is an almost continuous
8Rhclass highway connecting the Lower
lilo Crande Valley with San Antonio,
while there Is nothing much better than
dirt road most of the way between San
Antonio and. Laredo.
Since the Mexican government, ae-
cording to advices from Mexico City
has already awarded the road contracts,
there IL small reason to argue about the
matter, but The Times discussion of the
subject is interesting, and we give 1t
here:
"The people of Brownsville, anxious to
get on the map and realizing that their
only claim to publicity is based on the
citrus culture Of the Magic Valley"
are moving heaven and earth-as far as
their little lever of influence will move
them-to secure the re-routing of the
highway to Mexico City through their
town.
Their latest move indicates either
keen sense Of humor or pitiful lack OF
understanding. They have asked the
San Antonio Chamber of Commerce to
support their plea, which is like asking
a man to break his leg so that he will
be on even terms with a cripple in
footrace.
-San antonio, like other cities, is
more interested in its own success than
in that of other towns. At least, the
people up there are not moved by any
spirit of altruistie self-sacrifice that
ivantage in order to make Brownsville
kppy and prosperous.
rbe highway at present is routed
"a the northern border on as straight
line as nature will permit, through
san Antonio southwark to Laredo and
Whence through the most thickly popu-
lated section of Mexico. The traffic
naturally will 60 through San Antonio
as being along the line OF least resist
ance and the nearest possible approach
10 what geometry defines as straight
line" the shortest distance between
two points.
.San Antonio's Mexican trade comes
through Laredo. San Antonio's custom
house is located here on the border, and
through it passes more tina n5O per cent
of the traffic along the entire border.
ITO route the highway through
Brownsville would divert some of the
tourist traffic away from Laredo, it is
true, but it would be an expensive di-
version for San Antonio, for it would
tend to make Houston more important
to the tourists than San Antonio.
so from a purely selfish standpoint,
asking San Antonio to support the pro-
position to make Brownsville the border
terminus of the American highway
would be like asking man to deliber-
ately break his leg SO that a cripple
might have an even chance with him in
the race.
Brown sville is entitled to all she
can get in the way of tourist trade, real
estate buyer, citrus fruit planters and
the like. But she is not entitled to any
part of the trade that legitimately pass
rs through our gateway, nor is she en-
titled to make any trade with San An
tonic or Houston to take away the trade
Of either for the benefit of the other.
Houston and San Antonio are trade
rivals. There is plenty for both, and
cooperation would help them much
more than would senseless attempt to
take from either one what is rightfully
hers. The game isn't worth the candle.
LAREDO does not want anything that
legitimately belongs to San Antonio or
Brownsville. Our own trade has grown
because Of our pre-eminent location and
without throwing any bouque.s-be
canse of the superlative hustle and the
native integrity Of our merchants.
aThe people of Monterrey, of San
Luis Potosi and even Of Mexico City
like to trade here. They have several
reasons for considering this as their
market par excellence. Our proximity
10 their own territory, and superior
transportation facilities, our reputation