The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-07-22
eovsRNoR RoRERrs Ar pAILAs.
A syiopsl. Of l.Is speech raers.
NOa31.



synopsis of the late speech of Gov
ernor Roberts, made at Dallas. II
had been charged that the policies
of the Governor have been in antag-
onism TO the principles laid down in
the platform of the Democracy OF
Texas, and the Governor applied
himself to proving the falacy of such
accusation. The provisions of the
Democratic platform relating to the
state government of Texas, adopted
in the convention in 1873, st Aus
tin, show that the party favors
/. The maintainance and perfec-
ton of q common school system.
1t was shown that theresults were:
y law passed grading teachers
and otherwise improving the sys-
TEN, including law authorizing the
sale of three sections of school land
instead of l60 acres. as formerly, 10
more rapidly increase the school
fund, of which there are 40,000,000 OF
acres to sell. That the school had
been taught this year an average OF
four months. with $4,000 more chill
dren than last year; that a normal
school with "a pupils had been es-
tablished and supported; that other
students from different parts of the
state had been taught, andall this had
been done for nearly 100000 less
money than the year before; also,
that normal school for negroes,
with S5 pupils, had been taught and
supported. Hencethe people are more
encouraged about schools than ever
before, and are satisfied they viii
have good system.
2. The protection of our frontier.
The results are: That it has been
done as well with $75,000less annual
expense than before; that our dele
CATION in congress, upon the Cover
nor's solicitation, got law passed
| TO prevent the reserve Indians from
coming TO Texas.
8. An effort TO get our frontier ex-
penses paid back to Texas by the
| United States.
The result is that: A bill intro
duced for that object at the Cover
uor's request, but not reached for
passage this session of congress.
4. A preparation to place the con-
victs within the walls OF the peni-
tentiaries. a- fatrg
The results show that the walls OF
the penitentiary at Huntsville are
| increased to include nearly ten acres,
when they formerly contained only
three, with other valuable improve.
ments. The walls and interior houses
at Rusk penitentiary will be compile
ted early next spring. Thus the
next legislature will be enabled
shortly thereafter to place from fif-
teen hundred TO two thousand con-
victs in the .penitentiaries, the ex-
pense of all which will have been
derived mostly from the hire of the
convicts. HH
5. To regulate the freight and tar
if Of all railroads in this state.
Results: A discrimination be-
tween persons at the same place was
prohibited by law. 18
6. The public debt shall not be In
creased by issuing bonds or borrow.
ing money to meet the current ex-
penses Of the state government.
Results: AS many bonds have
been bought in by the revenue de-
voted to the sinking fund ($200, 900
as were paid out on the deficiency
debt: so that our bonded public
debt has not been increased il
amount, except from $500 to $500 o.
four per cents, for which the money
[ is on hand to buy in skies or sevens
| By exchanging, by sale and pur,
chase, the Eve per cent bonds fol
the ten per cent. bonds, as provided
for by the Sixteenth Legislature, the
interest on our bonded debt has beer
diminished annually thereafter ovel
S55,000, reducing it from about $780,
900 to about $S05,000 annually. a
Our bonds, skies and sevens, pre-
viously sold for 112l to 1881; now
they are out of market, and are held
at l25 to 130. Our credit is equal tC
that Of any state or of the United
States. Our five per cent. bonds
just issued. sell at l02.
z. The rate of taxation shall moi
be increased.
Results: 1t has not been, being
still fifty cents on the 800. The oc.
cupation tax has been increased, and
now amounts TO about $450,000
This is not to discriminate between
honest. pursuits, but to indirectly
reach trancicnt property not reach
cd by the ad valorem tax, as II
shown by the shape of the law Itself
in its gradations, according to the
property handled. 1t has been g
| part of our system of taxation, from
lS45 down to the. present time. Il
taken of, it must be placed on per.
manent property, such as farms, lots
lands, stock, etc, to osupport the gov
ernment. a+1 .DnF F
8. The current expenses should be
confined within the current revenue
Results: This has been done
| for the first time since 1916
leaving out the period of the war
and military government, as shown
by the,report Of the Comptroller to
Governor Coke, which may be found
in the Governors message 10 the
| special session Of the legislature,
Hume 10, 1879. Since the lst day OF
Nav, 1879, to the present time, all
debts Of the state, for which an ap-
Epropriation has been made, hale
been paid at the treasury, speculA-
| ton upon public funds has been
stopped all over5the state, and there
is plenty OF money in the treasury
now to meet all current demands, to
pay interest on bonded debt and $780,
800 more TO the sinking fund to take
in that amount Of bonds; and as re-
ported by the Treasurer, there viii
| probably be on hand at the END Of
this fiscal year from $3.50, TO $500,
900, to DC applied to the expenses Of
the next legislature, 10 the asylnms
and to the penifenfiaries, in order to
make them what,they should be.
Out of the revenue there has been
paid, directly or indirectly, S410y 900
Of deficiency debt, for which four
per cent. warrantswere issued to be
paid out of the: surplus revenue IN
| i've wears, which have been paid cft
with revenue during the fTst year,
making an annual saYip& in interest
of over, $4,000, which, added TO that
saved on the bonds, makes a dihnini-
ton of taxes, 70 pay interest here
after. Of S72, 2,000.- ~ ~ GEO
9. A pledge Of our efforts % main
tain just and economical admins
tration Of the state government.
Results: The aggregate expenses
of the first year were over Sle,0
less than those Of the year previous,
and the ordinary expenses $500, 600.
less, as shown by the comparative