The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-04-29
Ao open Lettes frem Governor n oh.
s'ts on the ESe~u'Is of Kais General
Financial Policy.
GALVESTON, Arril l6. 1880
To His Exccllency. o NJ. Roberts, Governor o.
the Stale o. Tea s.. GslvertOn:

| OefGT or " c, the OrNlfei Iutu Ciff
zsns sla business msn Il GsiveStor,
svalling ourselves ol the oppoEtuuity
OF your presence IA oar city on officis
business, would Fcspecr'uliy r. QUEST
| y0a "a RIye a. thC fcsuils Cf 5cur -
nilt Z raiioa by - spcecb ~ l-'tsr, as
you may c,oc-. With high consiiera
lon q respect, etc, sc remA.a your
ubediRBt servants.
j E. Mssop, Wm. Oidenbutg, John
NJ. DohcEiy, Nat Young. Cha5 4
Rsifel. {. L. Felimsn, G. Pusualnsky,
G. T. jordan. n. c. Stone, E S. Jeml.
flqr, A. c. Baker, J3hn D, Rogers,
BNsi, H1'chius * Co., Marx s. K'.mr.
re-, NJ w Show, Il. r Isenberg.
GALVESTON. April II, 1880.
No srs. n. c. stone, Jemison, A. c. Ba
ker' nm ID. Rogers Snd Others, citizens OF
Galveston:
Gentlemen Il received your letter ui
yesterday inviting me, while here, 20
extibit by speech or by letter the Re.
suits Of my administrator.
lC,wculd be = pleasure to me to do
SO, u mad time and opportunity nov
70 pat ;og, ther such COLLECTION q
facts IS WUtdd be full sad acear tie
exhibition of the leading. matters per-
tanning to the operations of the state
government during my administration
P'eyiou; to February 20 isss,
which was the END OF the appropria-
ton year, I, quested reports from the
Il srent Departments had institutions
OF the state government, so shaped a.
TO exhibit the operations OF the gov
eEl m=nt during the two years precsd-
ing that date. Most OF them have been
published for general information. The
ct sct of such comparative statements
contained In those reports covenng
eaCh of the two years was TO show 10
The country what knew 20 be facs,
that the Democratic administration OF
the state government, which com.
nenced its Improvement in 1874, had
been continued with most benz, fclal
results during my administration.
Those reports have been misundcr-
stood, end the motives for calling for
them have been misconstrued by
maav persons, az II has beo8 ,X1ibited
In the press of the state.
Ope reason for this is q mIsinterprc-
tat;On OF terms, Is for instance ia TAX
ing expenditures" in the comptrollrr's
report to mean and represent "expensr, -"
and another reason is, that the subdi-
vision OF the operations of the govern
mint into different departments, and
tue modes OF keeping accounts in each,
makes II necessary Cltcn 10 examine
INTO the reports Of several Of them gnd
pat together items t1at are found dis
connected, SO So 10 arrive at accurate
reeults upon any one subject.
1t has been my design, after those
reports shalt sll have been made pub
lie, II eudeaver. in some way before
long to havo the leading results exhih-
tied as they pertain to each particular
spt :ct.
When that is done it will be found
that cur bonded debt has not increased
Except $3.50 IN 4 per cents. sold, and
the money Is in the treasury to buy =
per cent. bondD, and by transfer and
sale OF i've per ceLt. bonds the 10 per
cents have all been called in and the
interest st pped, thereby reducing The
Gnnuai interest Of our public debt frs IN
thus I;ne forward over S75 900 The
frontier and police forces have been
equally efficient ae formerly. with
sSssyiPg SsE III esH9QDse qq5 qq55u 5 q9e f9S he
upon an average Of four months, with
81. 600 more children, and pormal
schoo with over 100 pupils, at cost
of $lS3 900 less money than the pre-.
yious year; and, from the increase of
revenue, neatly 800 600 more this year
than last will br set apart by the board
OF education for the next scholastic
yesr, commencIDg the first Of Septem-
Der NJ K, and the re is now an in ;reaz. d
favor OF and gen,r.l belief 10 the pFac-
ticability Of our common schOoi sge-
TEN as established By the constitution
of 1875.
The foauEg deficiency debt has b;tu
either directly or indirectly pad Gut al
revenue TO the amount of little cye .
$40O. 900. all of the 4 per cent. war
rants have been cIlled In, ana the IL
terest stopped, and from this time
forward the annual interest, amount
ing to about $4,000, will be saved ia
| the state.
After May LAST discount on oul
state warrants ceased and, from ibai
time 10 the present, warrants have
been paid promptly at the treasury,
and there is now in the treasury ~
least $1,000 20 pay warrants for cur
rent expenses. interest on the public
debt and $50, 900 more to the sinking
fund 70 dlmInIsh the bonded debt,
which gives an assurance that we Will
have means to ''pay as We go" during
the year, which is point of financial
conditions which the Democratic ed-
ministrations for the last six years
have been trying with all of their
measures to reach and preserve. IS the
basis of sound financial policy for
| the state.
The few officers and employees who
have not been paic during part OF the
year for want Of ,uffic ent apprnpria
tions, and not for want of money, msy
rest assured that the money will be
ready for them, awaiting an appropria-
ton by the next legislature.
Preparations have been and are be-
ing vigorously made at the two penI-
tentisries, so that the next Legislature
may, in a short time, place 1000 con-
vlcrs within their walls.
There has been an increase in the
numb + OF judges and district attor.
ueys. by winch a greater promptness
and efficiency in the execution of the
laws have been sttsined, and still the
expenses OF the working force OF off.
GERS Of the government have been con-
siderably diminished.
A large number Of measures have
been adopted and carried out to bring
into maturity, and ostensible develop.
ment and efficacy, measures Of tbs pre-
sious Democratic administrations
sh'ch have enhanced the prosperous
inancisl condition OF the present ad'
minlstTaiion.
The policy adopted OF selling ouI
school lands has caused more OF them
to be cold, and a gTssteF increase oI
the common school fund in ,he last
fgs months, than during the preceding
Eve years, and as cur scholastic popu-
istion is increasing at the rate Of shout
20, 600 per year, the fset should be no.
/ r..d and well cons1dered that gBieSs