The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-11-20

That would leave 81, 14G, 600 to be paid out
I Of the one per cent. tax. lie says only
i 81, OBS, 900 has been collected, and pre-
sumo he expects US to believe it. The tax
able property Of the State is about $780,
000, 900. One por cent. would yield 81, 5OO,-
900. But he says q part Of this was en-
joined. Perhaps, in 3 dozen counties, suits
were brought, and perhaps FIVE hundred tax
payers joined in these bills. Certainly
| 81, OOO, 600 would cover all the tax cnioined
I and the delinquent list That would leave
s., SOC, 900, Of which 81 462, 900 is unac-
counted for. Where is Itl Has it been
collected, and squapdered and embezzledl
Or have they failed to collect II? The act
framed by themselves charges the school
| board with the duty OF its assessment and
collection. If they have failed through
neglect and dereliction Of duty TO collect
this tax, they are Just as much responsible
/ for It as If they had collected and squand-
cred it. Let them assume either position,
and they must stand condemned in the
/ judgment Of an intelligent public.
Il is assumed by Governor Davis and bis
party press that he is a very honest man,
and especially do they proclaim him to be
the only honest Governor Texas ever had,
and that his is the only economical admin
istraton we have ever known. OF bis pri-
Vate character l have not one word to say.
His official acts are public property, and
these are proper matters of discussion.
wish to be distinctly understood as referring
to Governor Davis as a public official, and
not to Governor Davis, the private citizen.
But let us sec If he is as honest as they
claim, or even as honest as he ought to be.
] viii take up the management Of the Luz
natic Asylum. The officers are appointed
by him, and hold their positions at his
/ pleasure. They are Of his party, and are
his friends. They are bis every day asso-
ciates, and if they are guilty of official mis-
conduct, he is responsible for it. Their acts
come within his constant observation, and he
cannot plead ignorance upon his part. If
nc has failed to look after the man
agement of this institution and its
unfortunate. inmates, he is guilty of
criminal neglect of duty. If he has per-
mitted the State to be robbed by those
whom he has placed in charge of the Asy-
lum, then he is responsible to the country
and all honest men will so regard him. 1t
will be remembered that the officers of that
institution made most pathetic appeals to
the last Legislature, and that very large
appropriation was made for its support. Let
us see how that money has been expended.
l have seen a bill in the hand writing of
James p. Newcomb, for the building of a.
stable thirty by fifty feet, and plank fence
six hundred feet long, and paling fence
six hundred feet long. This docs not in
clude material, but simply the labor. The
bill presented, allowed and paid for this
work, was the modest sum of $4,000, at least
five times what it ought to have cost. Yet
Davis is honest and his administration eco
nomical. Again the bill for clothing for
the lGnatics, is over $1,000. Among the
items are two which will mention-one is
for sixty-two yards of Alapaca at 81 per
yard. 1t Is not pretended that the lunatics
are clothed with such goods, and if they
were, this amount would not 90 far, but it
would go good way in small family.
OF course I would mot intimate that any
one but the lunatics got the benefit of
it. Another item is nineteen pairs OF
common white blankets, at the very
modest price of $50 per pair, just such
blankets as your merchants retail at So to
So per pair. The whole bin is made up of
just such prices, and would not cover page
of letter paper. Yet Davis is an honest
Governor, and all his officers honest men.
One other matter and / shall leave this
subject The board of public buildings re-
Gently gave out contract to recover the
is chairman, his lSinsman, who happens to
be steward of the lunatic asylum, was
awarded the contract. / am reliably in
formed that it will cost the State So 900.
The roof put on in 1885, as much labor and
material, cost $1,000. Contractors say that
$4,000 would be an exorbitant price, and
that when the necessary labor was employed
and paid for. But am told that the work
is being done by the employees of the lunatic
asylum, who are paid wages there by the
State. Is all this rightl Is it honest?
Would an honest governor permit such
frauds right in his presence? Would an
economical administration pay such bills? 1t
may be in keeping and doubtless is with
Davis's Radical ideas of honesty and econo-
my, but it does not suit the people of Texas
and he is just as responsible as if he actually
shared in the profits And yet they have
the brazen impudence to call him honest,
and to say that his administration is model
of economy.
see by dispatch in the State Journal
that Governor Davis charges that Judge
Coke has not paid his school tax. Judge
Coke was protected by the States writ of
injunction, and invoked judgment Of the
courts upon its legality. But how stands
Governor Davis himself upon this delicate
AttAN AtetttCA Va ltt-ACot vi III
would not charge Judge Coke with failing
to do that which he himself had neglected!
In 1871 he is assessed for taxes on his home
stead in Corpus Christi, valued at $4,000:
State tax, 500; county, $40; roads and
bridges, $40; frontier bond tax, 81; school
tax, $20-just one-half Of one per cent.
Now, he caused one per cent. to be levied
upon your property, and upon the property
in nearly all the counties in the State, yet
when it comes to Nueces county, where his
own property is situated, he only causes to
be assessed one-half the amount assessed
upon your property. Is that justg Is it
hOnestl Yet his organ says that he is SO
just that that passage of scripture may be
applied to him which says, :" If thine eye be
single, thy whole body shall be full Of light. y
Let him console himself with such self
laudation, but on the second of December
he will find that the people entertain very
different opinion of his wonderful official
honesty and fidelity to public trusts. But
that is not ALL For three years, 1S7t-72 and
'7S, he has not been assessed even fora poll
tax, and FOR the last two years his name
does not appear upon the tax rolls. It ought
to be on the delinquent rolls, where the
names Of nearly all his party are found. Let
Governor Davis pay his taxes before he
makes any more charges against Judge
Coke Il would be more consistent with
his pretensions to honesty and would leave
him IN a less ludicrous attitude before the
public.
But I have occupied your time too long.
This state Of affairs is rapidly drawing to a
close We shall so.>n be rid Of them AL.
After the second 81 December the roads
leading north viii bg crowded with carpet
baggers hurrying away from here. This
country will not suit them, and such a leav-
ing as viii take place was never before Wit
messed. The news is most cheering from all
parts OF the State and from other States
come words Of encouragement. Ohio and
Wisconsin. for the first tiW 'nnearly twenty
years. have elected DemOciatic governors.
/ lansaa ms ..nl.n a..ainsl the Radicals for the