The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-06-12
Practical LegIslarIon.
Editors Democratic Statesman:

1t appears that within the last decade
our public revenues have suffered bv
official mismanagement IN the way OF
defalcatiens TO an extent quite sufli-
cient to have silenced the present
financial muddle. II was stated ON the
floor of the late State convention by
one of the candidates for Comptroller.
who has served at least one term in
each branch of the Legislature
during this deficiency epoch and
thereby had occasion TO knox.
whereof he spoke, that the books on
the COnfptroller's Office during this Pc
riod, prOpe<ly audited, would disclose
defalcations NY tax gatherers far in ex-
cess of that g!veQ to thep public through
the report OF cohsmittee of the Six
teenth Legislature. 'This report, OF it,
/. II Is Sufficiently alafmfqg x and pre-erni-
neily. suggestive Of ipSqiclency and
ih%ip@ity IN one direction sud et1n,-
,y ,na,'y anos,er. Under esxistlpg
laws ~ sens ,o t snt these @ s ''I, 5e
official fayorite In cans ag way va Of conarilis]
sions upon collection through thd
courts, thus adding TO the patfoBsg'.
of the executive Office IN dangerous
direction. The people have lively
recollection of $50, GOO in cash 1oied
out of the public funds 70 ono lawyer
for the huge service OF enjoying .
pleasant trip 10 Europe with a qafasI
| official sanction for an Introduction
into the charmed cirsl OF the exells-
sives, and the facility with which
their inability TO dFeate and pay
revenues is met by penal en-
actments against them for deiarlts
in that regard aids somewhat
&c the friction OF the nation and bas
a def sd sepde2GS sesrens1 Isse5
colied Ors have bseS enahlsd TO aei
away with such immense sums which
the courts have signally failed to malsf
perhaps, single exanplel They are
not disposed to indulge the ffightfnl
supposition that in and about those
defalcations there has been every sofl
Of completely with other ofIicials wbo
have had the power to blockade action
in the way OF Legitimate criminal proh-
ecutions, and so they are somewlal
beTildered. This, il is submitted, il
is the cause Of very legitimate com.
plaipt; and it is believed that the SER
wants of the people 50 regard it, and
at the ensuing extra session viii 70
spond IN such enactmentB as will dis
cucumber our fiscal laws OF aC
much prolixity on the on
hand and make the pathway 81 th.
defsulter TO the penitentiary we'll ap,
pointed on the other.
IL would seem that It was abOu
time we had upon the statute book
some sort OF an enactment similar q
that in other States which makes th
ngisfIgtiOn Of tax collectors bonds Il
e Office of the Comptroller, where
- required to be registered IN lim5ne 0
1 his handling any portion Of the revs
nucs, lien upon all the real estate o
each obligor thereon, and giving d
the same, IN case of default, the fore
and effect OF judgment. In that css
the simple clerical duty Of issuiDi
an execution by the Comptrolle
for the full amount OF the defAEI
backed by the power in reserve 4
send out gen1iiti0Hi etJsOaas agains
the lands Of the collector and his sure
ties would seem 10 be somewhat NOR
satisfactory, and certainly less ex
pensive remedy than 10 employ lawyer
% make these collections through tn
cAurts Of Travis county. This charae
ter OF statute works well in the olde
States and under its provisions II Is
sore thing for the State 70 suffer in til
Nay Texas has IN the past few years
A we have started back ID the n
recffon Of old-fasbioned economy,
thanlfe % our chief executive, il mal
i,e vel b guard the new adysoee for
ward after We get back with some D
che pihin, cOmmoI-seDse safeeuafdi
lsbich older coInmonwesjths har'
found necessary. and 10 this end I
free nse Of such statutes j. comm1nd
/ ID 20 ftozr whose duty Il Is to max.
IsWs ana 70 suggest iegislstlon-
fEEsfkeTre.