The Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide 1929 Page: 75
[386] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
THE TEXAS ALMANAC--1929. 75
is a good question for Texans themselves
to think about, for Texas must necessarily
have a large hand in its own destiny.
Texas is big, and bigness brfngs the re-
sponsibility of independence. Tradition-
ally Texans are State rights advocates.
Purely as a political theory, State rights
may be applied equally to each of the
forty-eight Commonwealths of America,
but in the broader sense of autonomy in
politico-economic affairs, it is purely a
relative matter depending upon size, po-
sition and wealth of the State. A small
State sardined among its neighbors with
the ebb and flow of viational commerce
across it, is naturally dependent, political
theory to the contrary notwithstanding.
But here is Texas, bigger than France in
area, bounded on the north, west and east
by four other Commonwealths, on the
southwest by 860 miles of international
boundary, and on the southeast by 370
miles of Gulf coast. Of thirteen sizeable
rivers, eight have watersheds entirely
within the State. This means, for ex-
ample, that the State Government is un-
hampered in most of its irrigation, recla-
mation and stream pollution problems.
Texas products go to its own ports. An
intrastate haul does not mean a short
haul in Texas. Dallam County wheat
travels about 700 miles to Texas tide-
water. This means that Texas has juris-
diction over a greater part of the traffic
affecting it than any other State. Such in-
stances could be given ad infinitum. It
all means that there devolves upon Texas
a great responsibility because Texas is
big and bigness begets responsibility.
Need of Industry.
The task ahead of Texas is to round
out its development. For example, it
needs a greater manufacturing industry
to go with its great and growing agricul-
tural industry. In the United States to-
day there is the equivalent of 50,000,000
acres of crop land producing principally
lint and food products for export. Nearly
one-third of this "export" acreage is in
Texas. The situation in the light of fu-
ture development of agricultural re-
sources in Texas presents a dilemma. In
other States this is true, but particularly
in Texas. One hears propaganda on be-
half of reclamation and irrigation meas-
ures, also for settlement and cultivation
of great western pasture lands, and at the
same time there goes forth frequently an
appeal to the farmer to restrict his acre-
age for the purpose of controlling prices
of agricultural products.
Texans are looking for the upbuilding
of a manufacturing industry to relieve the
situation-to encourage the development
of the vast remainder of Texas agricul-
tural resources. Texas wants factories to
fabricate a greater part of its agricultural
products. Most of its agricultural and
live stock products-cotton, wool, mo-
hair-are destined to lengthy manufactur-
ing processes-and it wants more urban
dwellers as consumers of its food crops.
For nearly half a century Texas farmers
have heard the gospel of diversified farm-
ing as their salvation from the uncertain-
ties of dependence almost solely on cot-
ton. Yet, when they have turned from
cotton to peaches, melons, spinach, cab-
bage, onions, tomatoes, lettuce and pota-
toes, they have been confronted frequently
with the problem of glutted markets and
the situation is made more serious because
of dependence largely on outside markets.In the past there has been too little city
population-for it is the urban population
alone that consumes appreciable quanti-
ties of products of this kind-in Texas to
furnish a substantial local market. Out-
side the 15,000,000 or 16,000,000 "export"
acres mentioned above, Texas has a great
producing area that is export in an inter-
state sense. Most of the 40,000 or 50,000
carloads of fruits and vegetables shipped
annually find a destination in markets of
the North and East. Of course, Texas will
necessarily remain primarily a shipper of
raw agricultural products, but the way to
increased wealth is through increased
processing of raw materials within its
own borders. It will stimulate agricul-
tural production and the development of
agricultural resources and it will add
much wealth on behalf of the manufac-
turing industry itself.
Manufacturing.
Texas is making rapid strides toward
such a manufacturing industry. Though
proportionally its manufacturing is not
great when compared with that of some
other States, yet the census figures quoted
in a preceding paragraph testify to the
recent development. Annual value of
Texas manufactures is now greater than
that of any other Southern State. Some-
thing of an industrial fabric has been de-
veloped. There is not the necessity for
bringing skilled labor from other States
that formerly existed. Again, the manu-
facturer may frequently look to near-by
industries to take his by-products. Gen-
erally he may look to local sources for in-
telligent financing. Such was not true
fifteen years ago.
In the matter of power for industrial
purposes, long strides have been taken. It
was not many years ago that Texas was
generally considered fuel poor. Then came
the great gas and oil developments which
have finally spread over such a wide ter-
ritory that it seems certain for a long pe-
riod to furnish economical industrial fuel.
And there is still another source. Stretch-
ing in a wide belt from Laredo to Texar-
kana is a great lignite field. Formerly
this immature coal was considered of
small value as industrial fuel; it slacked
quickly when shipped, and was hard to
burn in ordinary coal consuming furnaces.
Three years ago a power company placed
a big generating plant in the midst of
this lignite field, sending the power by
transmission lines to surrounding terri-
tory. The lignite is burned in powdered
form through jets much as if it were gas.
The raw lignite is brought to the plant on
trams from immediately surrounding
fields. The mining is done largely with
steam shovels which strip off the shallow
overburden and pick up the lignite for
loading into the trams. This development
has been significant for it has proven that
whatever theorists may say of the short
expectancy to be applied to oil and gas
as an industrial fuel, Texas has an addi-
tional source of power which is practical-
ly inexhaustible. Two plants such as
mentioned above are now in operation.
So today Texans hope for a greater de-
velopment of manufacturing industry-
this above most anything else. For it
will, they believe, speed the development
of its latent resources and these together
will bring wealth which brings many
things.
Education.
Texans are working toward a better ed-
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
The Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide 1929, book, 1929; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117158/m1/77/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.