The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-06-10
LET THE PEOPLE HAVE RE
LIEF. IL

LET THE PEOPLE HAVE RE
LIEF.
The MexIa Ledger would haYe the
State provide tor the sale of school
lands. in alternate tracts of so, 100,
$50 and 200 acres, to actual settlers,
On ten yesrs' time, at one dollar per
acre, interest payable annually, and af-
ter five years, to pay one-ffth of the
purchase money annually. Il would
hsYe schools supported stone on the
permanent fund, just as the STATESMAN
has all the time urged. This plan,
put into operation, it thinks, in few
years, would yield an annual revenue
which would give at least five months
tuition. It thinks all schools, taking
the public fund, should be required to
remain open for tuition for ten months
of the year, so that parents who desire
to contribute something towards the
tuition Of their own children could
have the privilege allowed them.
This plan, as far as the conduct Of
schools is concerned, would be a good
one, and we can see no reason why
coming legislatures may not proceed at
once to inaugurate such system. We
have all the while contended against
this oppressive taxation for schools.
1t is wrong in principle, and it is es-
pecisliy wrong in practice, in Texas,
where huge provision has been made
for conducting schools, sufficient to
prevent a tax levy OF one dollar for
schools throughout the whole state.
The tax gatherer has no right to exer-
else mercy, for under the Rutsbaga
Johson code it is laid down that
homes or anything else must be
sacrificed in satisfs ction of the
tax levy. There is no relief as long as
these onerous laws remain IN force,
and this being so, in the interest Of not
disturbing titles all over the state, tax
burdens should be decreased. Stop
the direct tax for schools, and the tax
for the support of the government
may be reduced so as to make the
state tax not over twenty-five cents on
the dollar. Give relief to the people,
and leave them something to live for,
derived from the pleasure of knowing
that their lands are not to be taxed
from under them and conveyed to
capitalists. A people secure In homes
are the most contented, and 1t is well
enough known that every day in Texas
hundreds OF homes are being sold for
tax money. Failure In crops and agri-
cultural bankruptcy are no excuse when
the collector calls for the states money,
and when not forthcoming the per
cent. corner is happy, for it knows
that the distress of the sgriculturist
gives one hundred per cent. on money,
or real estate for pittance. The re-
lief sould be given, and, while 1t is
demanded, there is no reason why the
Seventeenth Legislature should not
take to itself the credit of having in
augursted, as far as possible, q
great popular reform. Texas has
80, 1000, 900 acres of land devoted to
school purposes. 1t may be made
to pay revenue, either by sale, prop
erly guarded, or by lease. If to be sold
no limit should be placed on the
amount of land that may be conveyed
to an individual. 1t might be sold in
tracts of so, 100. 1000, or even 1OO,.
900 acres, if so demanded, or it might
be leased for twenty or thirty years al
most profitable rates in amounts to suit
lessees. The plan for payment pro-
posed by the Ledger has faults. Gao.
tual settlers" have been known to
contract for valuable timber tracts,
and, after paying small part of the
purchase money, to secure possession,
| tuSI uhNo pIOCeeuSu W ucstIOy TIE
value of such tracts of land and the
state is then left no recourse but to
take the land back in a vslueless con.
dition. The payment of interest alone
for Eye years would open the way,
under the guise of 'actual settlement, y
for the state to be damaged to tine
extent of millions of dollars
and there would be no recourse.
If the lands are to be sold
let them be disposed of to carry ou:
the plan of school endowment and to
do this the state has no right to close
the right of purchase whether in large
or small tracts. Governor Roberts pre-
sented plans to the Sixteenth Legisla-
ture, which had they been adopted
would have opened the way for a ra-
pid growth of this permanent fund,
and for that relief from taxation which
al so much desire.
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