The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-05-08
A strange Veto.


Over one month since the House origi
mated bill providing for the appropriation
of four hundred thousand dollars for the
payment of the salaries Of public school
teachers already due, II passed the House
by very large vote, and went to the Sen
ate. There it received some amendments,
when it was returned to the House, where
they were rejected. This led to a confer
ence, and with immaterial amendments ii
passed, and some days since found its way
TO the Governors Office. No dream was in
dulged that the bill would not speedily be.
come law. The school bill had been
originated under the Davis administration,
and was regarded by its supporters as a
tower OF strength in lis favor. The con.
stant complaint was made by the friends OF
the administration, that the Democratic party
was opposed to public free schools, and that
in consequence of the opposition, the teach
ers were being brought to want and desti-
tuition. 1t was charged in the last canvass,
that the Democrats would not only abolish
the public free schools, but that they would
never permit the teachers to receive pay for
the services they had performed Such
arguments were one Of the forts of the
Radical party at that time.
In spite of all this, after the bill has
passed, and that, too, with hardly the least
opposition, and confidence in the promises
Of the State to pay were restored, the bin
came back to the House on the first of May,
with the Governors veto accompanying
it. The false pretexts upon which he
bases his objections are, that the act
is unconstitutional that the debt
now due teachers and attaches of the school
department amounts to 5000, 600, and that
as the appropriation amounts to only S4OO,
600, where there is hardly $500, 600 of the
available school fund in the Treasury, that
in would operate in favor of spectators; and
since some counties are testing the constitu-
tionality of the one per cent. tax, that the
teachers in these counties should not be
paid out of the available school fund. He
claims that there is something very sus-
picious !" in the bill, and that the SupR-
intendent of Public Instruction should have
the right to say where and 10 whom the
money shall be paid. The last suggestion
is the one which will strike every one as re.
markably cool. De Gress has been work
ing the school department most faithfully
in the interests of Governor Davis, and
when he or his influence is attacked, il
poorly aecords with the settled policy OF
the administration to submit to any curtail-
ment of the sacred rights which have been
confided to De Gress. y
We think we can understand the real mo-
tives at the bottom of this very strange veto.
We have watched the action of the Gov
ernor for years, and are forced to pro-
nounce the main spring of his political
career is prejudice. We believe that khis
ruling passion las had its effect in this
case, though by it he has aimed a severe
blow at the very people he pretended tC
regard with so much solieitude. The
Legislature was earnest in its purpose Oi
doing right to the honest teachers, but
it is too well known that the object oi
the Governor was not to maintain tho
school teachers. The school system wa.
converted into a political machine to obey
his behests, and the soft placesit provided
for his agents were filed by the mos'
trusty of his followers. There he has kept
them, and there he intends to keep them $,
long as he has the power. This bill wai
nothing more than deficiency appropria
tion bin. and the most plausible objee
tiOns raised do not apply TO it.
It's object was to relieve the pressing ne
cessities Of the teachers themselves, an,
since it did not provide for the pet drone
he had placed in the offices, he determine,
to WELD his power in opposition to tn
wants Of what he, no doubt, deems tn
worthless teachers.
Governor Davis has in this act commit
ted an Outrage against some two or thre
thousand poor teachers, many Of them de.
titutc Women, whoseclaim unless the Sen
arc has the magnanimity to pass the bil
over the veto, viii remain worthless j
their hands. The House Of Represents
tives, purely Democratic body, threw O
from the first. all partisan feeling in tn
consideration Of this bin. and gave It 9
one of its first tributes 70 justice and b.
mAnify i was an emergenry i mel 1oaly
The Scnaie followed is example, an
the country earnestly appeais @ i that
now 30 IS the House has done-P Palltts p
a tte. Ereo senator who does S
VIII receive the thanks q the pptiic.
The hiiI passed 81 the House ovtr Ga
rtfo hv vote AZ 81 % H.