From: laro@idworld.net   
      
   "Gerald Clough"  wrote in message   
   news:40170CC8.4060705@texas.net...   
   > Nick wrote:   
   > > Uh, anybody heard of the KING RANCH? :) Texas was only able to build a   
   > > highway through there!   
   >   
   > I thought of the King Ranch, but I didn't think that was quite the   
   > situation sought. Of course, the ranch encompassed whole communities   
   > that were entirely King Ranch operations. But I don't think it qualifies   
   > as the classic "cattle king vs. sodbuster/sheepman/smallholder" conflict   
   > so beloved of western drama. "Settlers" weren't much of a consern.   
   > Trespassers, on the other hand, might well come to a bad and annonymous   
   > end through the efforts of fence riders talented in spotting the signs   
   > of entry and prepared to see that those who come in don't come out.   
      
   The King Ranch was similar in some ways and completely dissimilar in others.   
   They WERE the closed ranch. Today, you still can't get onto the ranch   
   without permission AND a Kineno to ride with you and see how you behave.   
   Been there, done that.   To say it encompasses some communities is too mild.   
   Henrietta King actually gave the land for the modern town of Kingsville.   
   She was generous, yes, but she wanted to gain the advantages of having a   
   center of commerce nearby, too.  Look how far she had to go to buy   
   something.  And the Ranch still maintains close ties to everybody and   
   everything of importance in the state.  And they now have ranch holdings all   
   over the world, way beyond Texas borders.   Believe it or not, those "old   
   ranches" still maintain a "party line" between themselves.   If a big   
   rancher in North Texas dies, the rancher in South Texas knows about it   
   before the day is done.  They cooperate to see that what benefits them is   
   done.   
      
   So should we all!   Instead of simply saying "I don't think it is right that   
   a large ranch dominate a town"...what have we done to get involved in   
   running the town?   Votes count, and when the voters are largely employed by   
   the rancher, what benefits him also benefits them.   Either we like it, or   
   we MOVE.   ...QED   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)