The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-01-23

benefit generally expected to be derived /
IS from the donation of lands set apart to /
the permanent common school fund. This, |
however, VIII prove delusive If it is expec- !
ted to raise fund in distant future under I
the present management, that will relieve |
the people from the taxes which they now /
pay TO support the free common schools, |
for under the present mode of disposing of
these lands, the scholastic population viii
increase faster than the fund And the |
same thing applies TO the lands set
apart FOR the schools for the Deaf and
Dumb ana Blind and for the Lunatic Asy-
lum. And the same policy will postpone
indefinitely the building of a university,
which should be erected at the capital sof
the State for the education ofTeXas youths
instead Of sending them out of the State to
be educated and TO return home strangers
to Texas. Another benefit counted on is
in giving presumption to settlers, by which
the frontier is extended. While this is a
great benefit to those now no longer occu-
pying the frontier, the fact that it is ex-
tended increases the expense of the govern
ment in proportion to the population there
by increased, and such is our experience
for the last twenty years and will be for
the next thirty or forty years until the
whole territory shall have been filed up
with a self-sustaining and locally self
governing population. For, until that time
arrives, the frontier must be protected,
and the sparse population on its border
must occasionally be aided in the execution
of the civil law under any line of policy
that may be maintained This necessarily
follows from reserving the territory TO be
governed by us. We have yet over thirty
millions of acres of public lands not appro-
priated, that we are holding on to for the
purpose OF giving them away as we have
done, while the people are struggling to pay
nearly 100000 annually on our bonded
public debt with a prospect Of an indefinite
increase of it if there should be no change
in the general management of the public
affairs of the State. This debt is an obliga-
ton upon the State, the same as a mort
gage upon all Of the property and polls
within it. Now the question is, would it
not be better as a business transaction to
pay it with the property of the State, not
yet appropriated, by sale of its land as
soon as practicable at a reasonable value,
rather than from year to year to sell the
lands of our citizens that they have worked
for, and otherwise wrench from them taxes
to pay the interest and ultimately the prin-
cipal of the debt? There are other obliga-
tons, imposed upon the government of the
State by the Constitution, of equally as high
a nature, which are to devote one-half of
all the public lands to the public school
fund, and one million Of acres to the uni
versity fund and three millions of acres to
the building of Capitol for the State I'm
der the present policy of procrastination,
these obligations will not be met, and the
people will have to be taxed to perform
them. | have reason to believe, from in-
formation that | have received, that the
lands can be sold rapidly to persons both
in and out of the State, for colonies of set
tiers, and other purposes if large tracts
could be bought.
Another disadvantage imposed upon the
people, in the payment of taxes to support
the government, is, that in the present scar
city of money, shrinkage of the value of
property and embarrassment in business
they pay too much generally to officers for
the services rendered by them, when COM
pared to the attainable value of the same
ability, skill and labor in other business
pursuits of the present day. This is
evinced by the numerous applicants. for
Office, and by the anxiety and powerful
efforts to obtain Office in all parts of the
State
The true policy of the State, in my opin-
ion, under the present juncture of affairs, is
to retrench expenses from top to bottom,
wherever it can be done consistently with
the efficiency of the public service, and in
augurate the policy now of disposing of the
public lands at fair value, as soon as prac-
ticable, to any purchaser that will buy them
in any quantity, so as to meet the various
obligations Of the government, increase the
school funds, and asylum fund and there
| by if possible relieve the present generation
| from the onerc;.s burden of taxation impos-
ed uron them for the dim prospect of flu
ture good, which will never be realized
1t was said in substance by one of the
greatest of Americanstatesman, that it was
the highest duty Of government to subserve
the interests of the present generation,
without imposing unnecessary burdens
upon future generations. Justly take care
of the present. and the future will take
care of itself. Our present policy is viola
ting both ends of this rule, by imposing
burdens of taxation on the present genera
ton, that might be provided against by the
means at command, and by imposing on
future generations obligations that can only
be discharged by heavy taxes.
The Legislature is the controlling power
of the State, and the responsibility rests
with them to determine whether or not we
shall continue to drag along, mending up an
old policy, unadapted to the times, and to
our present condition, or to at once inau-
gurate practical policy that directs us to
a definite end, promising a relief to the
present generation, and a fair chance for
prosperity to the future.
II may be objected that this policy will
stop immigration. Not so; for the railroad
companies, owning millions of acres, are the
best immigration agents we ever had, and
those that buy the lands, who are not set
tiers, will help them.
1t may be objected that land monopoly
will be created that will prevent poor men
from buying lands. Not so for poor men
white and black, are now buying cheap
lands all over the State, except in few
localities, from private owners, at more
advantage to themselves, than if they were
to take them up by pre-emption, or were
to buy school lands, where they can be
obtained either at this time or in the fu
ture.
1t may be objected that this policy will
stop the progress Of railroads by exhausting
the donation lands, aud leave large portions
of the State unprovided with them. No
so for this result will soon follow unde1
the present policy. But if the obligation,
resting on the State are satisfied in a rea
sonable time, and the people are relieved
from these extraordinary burdens of taxa
alton then we can well afford to devote
part of the taxes derived from the railroad
already constructed to the building of othe
roads in the shape of a loan, the interest oil
which should be turned over to the availa
BILE school fund, thereby giving all section
of the State indirectly the benefi
of the land donations that will hav
already been made for the building of rail
roads long after all of the lands may hav
been exhausted. In some such way as thi
alone can the effects of the land grants L
railroads be continued and perpetuated 5,
as to give all sections of the State the bene
fit of them.
1t should not be supposed that enter thi
plea for economy, and the prompt discharge o
| the States obligations, because | am an oil
man desiring or expecting return OF the GOO
old safe and slow times Of twenty Five years ago
Far from it. He who looks back while IN
, world moves on is turned into pillar Of salt
The steam power has entered our borders, an
spread Its iron arms far and wide over our coun
try AS soon might we stop the norther tina
sweeps down over our plains as to stop Its pro
gress, until il spreads Itself to our utmost boz
} dsrs filing the whole country with wealth-an
Intelligence and implanting upon our soil
mightier and = IL we properly aDpreciat
and adapt ourselves to it - higher civilizs
r lion. / would that Texas, oisentrraIled froI
her burdens and prosperous, sh uld en-
ter safely into this new and more speed
! progress Of human STARS, in full phgh
: 10 foster and cherish this power, as
friendly and befriended benefactor. and 3
! the same time 10 direct and control it with ju:
tice and liberality In protecting the interest