Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-03-11

Thirty or forty years ago when the rivers and har-
bors bill was commonly referred to as the pork bar
rel" New England newspapers were vehement ex-
ponents OF federal appropriations for harbor and river
improvements. At that time the appellation applied TO
the bill was not wholly undeservsd. Harbor improve
ments were more or less q joke. and such work as was
done was largely confined to the Eastern Atlantic sea-
board with a few millions occasionally donated to the
Pacific and Gulf coast sections.
The millions spent on New England harbors failed to
provide the outlet desired for national products. In
the course Of time the rivers and harbors committees
Of the house and senate began TO take notice Of the fact
that the nation was not receiving value for the MIL
lions expended. Politics were laid aside and the eyes
Of the nation were directed toward the Texas Gulf
coast
This was not satisfactory 70 the New Englanders.
They are now waxing very wroth over the fact that
congress has shown more liberality in improving south
ern harbors than the New Englanders thought neces-
sary, and 90 a result the New England press, which a
generation ago was very favorable toward harbOr i'm
provement, has raised bitter protest against federal
expenditures on the Gulf coast.
In this connection ii might be interesting to note
that through the development Of the Gulf harbors
Texas has risen to second place as an exporting state.
being surpassed only by New York. During the months
Of July, August and September. 1927, the value Of ex-
ports from Texas totalled $1s4, 1891 and for the
same quarter New York showed a record Of ~Sl95,S7s.-
OF. During the same period the New England states
Of Massachusetts,, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut
and Vermont reported exports to the value Of $4,000
600. or approximately rs per cent Of the value Of Texas
exports. The value Of all exports from the United
States during that period was $1,1s0,520 784, and Of this
amount nearly one-fifth was exported by Texas.
Texas ports have become one Of the nations great
est assets. Through Houston, Galveston and other
Gulf ports flows q constant stream of agricultural
products, minerals and manufactures, adding TO the
wealth Of the nation. creating markets for regions
which otherwise would have no outlet. and bringing
prosperity to millions. The New England ports serve
only small industrial areas. That they benefit the ma
ton cannot be disputed and the millions expended on
construction and maintainance is doubtless a wise in
vestment, but it is no exaggeration 70 state that every
dollar expended on Texas ports has paid the nation
greater dividends in the way Of national prosperity
than any similar investment ever made by any nation.
Texas today would be virtually an unproductive
wilderness IL it were not for the Gulf ports. The
farmers Of Oklahoma and New Mexico, the wheat grow
es of Kansas and Nebraska, the ranchmen of the plains
country, are all prospering today because the rivers
and harbors committees Of congress recognized the
necessity for providing water transportation to de-
velop the almost unlimited resources Of the southwest.
Close students Of transportation are predicting that
within another decade exports through Texas ports viii
far exceed those Of New York. Development in the
territory tributary to the Gulf ports is still in its in
fancy; the great natural resources Of this region have
hardly been touched. And with the completion Of 4
deem water port at Point Isabel, and the improvement
Of political conditions in Mexico which will permit de-
velopmont Of the resources Of the northern rart Of
that country, the combined tonnage Of South Texas
and northern Mexico will add countless millions to the
wealth Texas ports will pour into the channels Of world
commerce.