TEXAS 



5772 



TEXAS 



the largest in the world, embraces an area of 

 120,000 square miles, and many of the chief 

 cities in the eastern part of the state, including 

 Galveston, Houston, Dallas and Waco, derive 

 their water supply from it. Some of the min- 

 eral waters are hot and have valuable medici- 

 nal properties. Among the most noted springs 

 and wells near which great health resorts have 

 been established are Mineral Wells, Wooten 

 Wells, Sour Lake Mineral Springs, Marlin Hot 

 Wells, Palo Pinto Crystal Wells and Lampasas 

 Springs. The annual value of the mineral prod- 

 ucts of the state exceeds $30,300,000. 



Manufactures. Although Texas is chiefly an 

 agricultural and stock-raising state, the abun- 

 dance of raw materials and the plentiful sup- 

 ply of cheap fuel from the local coal and oil 

 fields are rapidly developing large manufac- 

 turing industries. The most important of these 

 are slaughtering and meat packing and the 

 milling of lumber and flour. Texas manufac- 

 tures more cottonseed oil and cake than any 

 other state in the Union, and is surpassed only 

 by Pennsylvania in the manufacture of ice and 

 by Louisiana in the refining of sugar, making 

 of molasses and cleaning and polishing of rice. 

 Car repairs and foundry work, the manufacture 

 of brick and tile and the canning of fruits and 

 vegetables are other important industries. 



Transportation and Commerce. Truly a vast 

 railroad system would be required to furnish 



adequate transportation in all parts of this state 

 of magnificent distances. Although Texas has 

 a greater railroad mileage than any other state 

 in the Union, many of the southern coast coun- 

 ties and sections of the extreme west and 

 northwest are still without railroad accommo- 

 dations. There are, however, over 15,700 miles 

 of railroad in the state, and the construction of 

 new branches and spurs is steadily progressing. 

 Two trunk lines cross Texas from east to west 

 en route to the Pacific coast, and two lines ex- 

 tending from the northeast to the southwest 

 corners of the state reach into Mexico. Fa- 

 cilities for transportation in the northeast and 

 central parts of the state are excellent. The 

 most important roads include the Galveston, 

 Harrisburg & San Antonio; the Missouri, Kan- 

 sas & Texas; the International & Great North- 

 ern, and the Texas & Pacific. The chief rail- 

 way centers are El Paso, the terminus of seven 

 railroads, Houston, Galveston, Fort Worth, Dal- 

 las, Greenville and Waco. There are over 900 

 miles of interurban electric railway and ninety 

 miles of interurban railroad run by gasoline 

 power. Of the public roads, which cover 128,- 

 900 miles, 9,700 miles are surfaced. 



Galveston is by far the chief cotton-shipping 

 port of the United States, and, with the ex- 

 ception of New York and New Orleans, the 

 most important commercial port of the country 

 for exports and imports. 



Government and History 



Government. Texas is governed under the 

 constitution of 1876, which is the fourth adopted 

 since the admission of the state, the others 

 being those of 1845, 1866 and 1868. All male 

 citizens and aliens who have declared their in- 

 tention of becoming citizens, who have lived 

 in the state one year and in the county six 

 months immediately preceding the election, 

 except paupers, criminals, defectives, soldiers, 

 sailors and persons who have taken part in a 

 duel, are entitled to vote. An amendment may 

 be proposed by two-thirds of the members of 

 each house of the legislature, and it becomes 

 effective if approved by a majority of the 

 voters. 



The executive power is vested in a governor, 

 lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, comp- 

 troller, treasurer, attorney-general and commis- 

 sioner of the general land office. There is an 

 unusual provision that the secretary of state 

 shall be appointed by the governor, but all 

 other state officials are elected by the people 



for terms of two years. A surviving trace of 

 the government of the Texan republic is seen 

 in the extensive powers of the governor, who 

 has, in addition to the usual privileges of the 

 state executive, an extensive power of appoint- 

 ment and the power of veto over the separate 

 items in appropriation bills. A two-thirds vote 

 in each house is necessary to pass over his veto. 



The legislative department consists of a sen- 

 ate of thirty-one members, elected for four 

 years, and a house of representatives whose 

 membership cannot exceed 150. Representa- 

 tives are elected for two years. Bills for rais- 

 ing revenue must originate in the lower house, 

 but may be rejected or amended by the senate. 

 The legislature meets biennially, and the gov- 

 ernor may call special sessions. 



The judicial department consists of a su- 

 preme court, a court of criminal appeals and a 

 court of civil appeals, each having three judges 

 elected for six years ; district courts, having one 

 judge elected for four years; county courts; 



