The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-09-16
Home Rule In Texas.

BY their fruits We shall know them. PEG |
pie who fancy that Home Rule" is not a |
practical question in our politics to-day will |
do well to consider the history of one Of the |
greatest of American States during the past |
five years.
In January, 1870, 'sHome Rule" was ex-
tinguished in ne State of Texas by the in |
auguratiOn of triumphant ''carpet-bag"
administration headed by Governor DAVIS. |
In his message sent in then to the Twelfth |
Legislature of the State, Governor Davis |
drew striking and truthful picture OF The |
prize which he had captured There was
then In the Treasury of Texas the sum OF |
1871, $50 in money subject to appropriation. !
Texas, therefore, said Governor DAVIS,
''may be substantially said to be out of
debt" The rate of taxation in Texas was |
then fifteen cents on $l00-
Bv the end Of 1873, the rate of taxation
in Texas had been increased from fifteen
cents 10 one dollar and seCeaty-seUen cents on
SlOO exclusive of the State tax for school
purposes. Notwithstanding the large sum
thus raised for the purpose of carrying on
his carpet bag administration, Governor
Davis by the end of 1873, had reduced the
State Treasury, which ne found she ap ID up
and running over" to virtual bankruptc,.
The warrants of the State Treasury issued
to meet the ordinary expenses of the govern
ment were openly selling at forty cents ON
the dollar IN the capital of the State itself
Funds held in trust under the Constitution
OF the State for specific purposes had been
diverted from those purposes and lavished
In defiance, too, nf the Constitution, mil
lions of dollars had been corruptly voted
away in absolute gifts 10 fayerite corpora
tions under the pretext of aiding in the
construction Of railways.
In snite of this disOraceful result of THAR
control of the State, Governor Davis and
his associates were encouraged by the ad-
minstration at Washington to conspire for
a new lease of power and for a new defeat
Of the wholesome Democratic doctrine of
"Home Rule" IN the elections at the end of
1878. Fortunately for Texas and for the
country the evil courage of the government
at Washington gave way when the critical
moment came. The case of Louisiana was
then tlagrantly before the people of the
North and West, and it was thought rather
unwise to risk the creation of new Louisi-
ana in gexas on a grander scale.
So Governor Coke, lawfully elected by
the people, with Democratic Legislature
to back him, was allowed peacefully to as
sumo the reins OF the State in January. 1874.
and Texas passed from the serfdom Of q
carpet-bag province under the "Home Rule
OF free commonwealth.
When Governor Coke came into power he
found very different state of things from
that which had confronted his predecessor
in 1870 He found the treasury warrants Of
the State selling at forty cents on the dol
lar. He found the State debt rolled up &c
more than 81 900, 900. And this in spite OF
the fact that in the year 1894, as in each
previous year of the Davis administration,
the amount of taxes collected had been in
absolute excess in current expenses. Fol
example, there had been collected and paid
into the State Treasury, between the first Of
September, 1873, and the fifteenth of Janu
airy, 1874, from taxes, Asa, $40. IL, and from
other sources at least $21, 900, or the sum q
1904, 548.17, while the face value of the
warrants presented and paid at the treas
ury for the same period amounted to but
1851, 050.56, leaving a balance in the treas
ury OF $53, 4SS; that's to say, properly man
aged, the States assets had been more thar
sufficient to provide for Its current indebted
ness, including interest on the bonded debt
nevertheless, by the continuance of faithles
officials, as we shall see, the credit o
the State meanwhile had been SO dishonoreC
that an axe or spade which private citi
zen might readily purchase at Austin TO
1925 would cost the State SO. %. The de
vice by which this extraordinary state o
affairs was brought about was of easy opeI
alton. BY law when there was money Il
the treasury it must be paid out upon til
frst warrant or warrants presented. Cor
sequently, whatsoever a sheriff entered tn
treasury to pay his county's tax contingent
close at his heels followed well advise
warrant-holder to the full amount of tn
sum to be paid, and who Immediately drel
out every dollar of it upon warrants, thu
opportunity presented, which had bee
bought probably as low as forty cents o
the dollar. Thus the treasury was kept a
habitually 'empty as a worm-eaten nut:
thus also the deprecated state of treasur
warrants was eifectually prolonged, an
thus rapacious officials and their associate
reaped their annual harvest in the mos
barefaced, shameless manner.
The first step of Governor Coke and c
the Legislature (Fourteenth) inaugurate
with him, was to interpose practical barrier
arouno the treasury which should insure tn
6onG tfde payment into the treasury of all tn
States taxes for the benefit of bona .fC
State creditors All outstanding warrant
and floating debts were either funded
paid off by means provided by the sale
an issue of 81, 900, 900 in State bonds bea
ing seven per cent. gold interest. The r,
suit was almost magical.
Treasury warrants lately at forty cent
soon rose substantially to their face valae
all parts of the State; the whole amount {
toned, were sold in New York at price
ranging from eighty-five to ninety five cent.
and the money thus required applied to tn
payment'of all outstanding non bonded il
debtedness; the rate OF taxation Gncludin
school tax was reduced from SLIT to fift
cents on the 500; the expense of Stat
printing was cut down from $100 600
$2o, 900 per annum; the aggregate cost
maintenance of the Deaf and Dumb an
I'D Aawl 4 aA-n ~
per annum to sac, 900, and of the Lunati
Asylum from $13, 800 per month to 81, OO(
Or, in fine, as exhibited by the appropril
ton of the first and second sessions of III
Fourteenth Legislature, a general reductio
OF expenses was wrought from thirty
sixty per cent. in every item Of the State Q.
penses, except the amount of interest upC
the bonded debt, which with 'ssinkir
fund" had been increased to $500, 900, an
some $500, 600 were paid out for frontier
Tense, making an aggregate of 500, 900 ,
class of expenditure which the Davis a,
ministration had left almost wholly out ,
consideration in it's disregard of State hon,
and State credit, leaving to Governor Col
considerable floating debt for frontier d
Tense which he has paid With the,
sweeping reductions of expenditure. an
this thorough rescue of the credit of II
State In eighteen months, Home Rule
texas IN It's determination to leave I
grounds for imputation of bad faith wi,
anyone has also effected satisfactory a
rangement with the railroad association
whose interest the grant of State bonds hs
been corruptly and unlawiully made. I
that arrangement in lieu of the bonds tn
could not be issued eonstitutionally, 4
equivalent was given in public lands, b
cause such GIFT would insure the constru
ton Of the railways that were essential
the prosperity of Texas, aud would great
stimulate emigration. Such settlemen