Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1870-04-23
The Constitution.

fTsm las AsAiERsy hsquiIsT
la our last issue We referred 10 lh'
fact that the Constitution in repeal
ing or seeking TO repeal, the reser
walton Ofpubiie domain set apart Il
aid in the construction Of the Mem
phis III Pas0 ahd Pacific Rail Roas
did an ae, Of great Injustice lo North
ern Texas, and inhieled serious inlu
~ 10 the common school fund,
BY reference 10 tho laws Of lhs
State, aud tho statistical facts, il vii
be seen that tho State has granted
10 the Texas aud New Orleans Rail
road, running from Houston TO tbs
Sabine or in that direction, lT2s sec
li0hs Of land, besides u loan OF thS
school fund 10 the amount OF $3.50
500, 90 10 the Texas Central 20st
sections, and a loan OF si3s, 900 90
10 tho Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and
Colorado Road q sections per mile
66i sections, and sI0s, 900 90; TO the
Washington County Road, 400 see
tions and ss7, OF 6Oi TO the lIous
ton Tap & Brakoria Road 500 Sec
tions, and s295, 800 90 10 tho South
ern Pacific about 800 sections, $3.50,
900 90; 10 the San Antonio & Mex
lean Gulf road 3is sections TO the
Galveston, Houston & Henderson
road 500 sections. Thus having
granted five million five hundred
and fiily.six thousand and eight
hundred acres Of the public lands to
the above enumerated railroads, and
in addition thereto one million three
hundred and seven thousand, five
hundred and seventeen dollars, has
been loaned from tho school fund,
II will DO seen from this statement
why it was that the pas. legislation
of the State sought TO do justice and
protect tho interests Of Northern
and North. western Texas in setting
aside the reservation to MD in the
construction Of the road referred to.
As there was no water or railroad
con nection on oar eastern border by
which tho iron could be received,
the Memphis and FL Paso Railroad
Company were only required to des-
ignate and sectionize their rcscrva.
ton, and to grade so many miles OF
their road in q specified period. The
stipulations Of their character were
strictly complied with up to the CON-
mencemcnt of the war.
The foregoing statcmcn. shows
that one Of the largest, most popu-
lous and most productive sections
of the State, and the one rcmotcst
from water or railroad facilities, has
received nothing for internal i'm
provement projects, while western,
southern, eastern, and especially
Central, Texas has received 5, $50,
500 acres of land, and 81, 307, SIT.
In this distribution of benefits has
not beeen enumerated the lands
granted to certain canal enterprises.
So it will be seen that the ex-
treme West and the North and
North West, the sections most re-
quiring aid. have received nothing.
And now it appears that q new sys-
tenn is to be inaugurated by which
the people of those sections must
contribute by taxation to build roads
for other localities, and do without
the facilities which the past legisla-
tion of the State had secured them,
until it suits the convenience Of the
Gulf roads, or roads building
through other States, to tap their
borders. This is not just. The
people of other sections of the State
do not wish it. Nor do we believe
tho coming Legislature will adjourn
without doing something to secure
to the North and West that justice
which the former internal improve
ment policy ofthe State intended.
So far as the repeal of tho Mem
phis Ell Paso and Pacific rail road
reservation affects the school fund
interest, it is so apparent as to only
require passing notice. The length
of the line of the road from Fulton
to Ell Paso is estimated at about 800
miles. Sixteen alternate sections
per mile, being II, 800 sections or
8, 1872, 900 acres arc swept away.
The building of the road would
make this o sufficient fund, alone,
without taxation, to build up the
finest school system of any State in
the Union. And in this connection,
it should be remembered that the
line of tho road in question runs d.
rectly through the region of coun-
try where are situated the greater
number of the fifty leagues Of Uni
versity lands located in Fannin,
Hunt, Grayson and Collin, and fur
ther west the lands (400 sections }
set apart for the endowment of the
Lunatic, Deaf and Dumb, and Blind
Asylums. These considerations
are Ofso much Importance that those
entrusted with the welfare and fu-
ture interests CT the State cannot
pass them by.
1t will be found upon trial that
the Judiciary system ofthe new con-
stitution will be so expensive as to
absolutely require a change. The
lowest estimate we have seen calcu-
lates upon thirty district judges.
At the salary for each, So, 500, this
gives s1O5, 90, and, say $50, 600 for
thirty District Attorneys, and $50,
600 for the Supreme Judges, Attor
ney General and individual expenses
of supreme court, makes an aggre-
gate of s160, 600 annually for the
judiciary alone. Little less than
was required before the war for the
support of all the departments OF
the State government, executive,
legislative and judicial.
This requires increase of taxation.