The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-06-24
THE VETO MESSAGE AND AP-
PROPRIATIONS.

In the memorable veto message of Gov
ernor Roberts it was said:
1t is hardly necessary to call your at
tention to the fact that finding large
deficiency of public debts, now estimated
at over one-half million of dollars, al
ready incurred, and large excess of ex-
penses over current annual revenue, /
recommended cutting down of the cx-
penses generally in everything, without
such diminution as to produce an en-
barrassing shock in any department of
the government, but sufficiently so as
that the annual revenue should be equal
to the current expenses, and also to pro-
vide the means, as far as practicable, for
the payment of the outstanding debts
creating the deficiency.
1t is now obviously certain, as | be-
lieve, that the expenses provided for in
the present appropriation act will exceed
the revenue that will be collected, if one
fourth of it is appropriated to common
schools, unless there is special tax
levied over and above that of fifty cents
on the one hundred dollars. And that
presents the issue squarely of more taxes
on the people or less pay to common
school masters. Should the legislature
see proper to repeal the restrictions in the
tax law and school law that have been
referred to, and appropriate so much of
the revenue as can now reasonably be
spared from the current expenses in adj
ministering the government of the state,
it, with the interest derived from the
bonds belonging to the fund, will give
aid to the schools as the country is now
able, without increasing taxation, which
is not now practicable, and will leave
the succeeding legislature free to do on
this subject whatever their duty may
then require, under the condition of the
finances of the state at that time.
In the first message to the Legislature,
special session, dated June 16, 1879, con-
corning appropriations, Governor Rob-
erts carefully considered the question of
expenditures for different purposes.
Upon the subject of appropriating money
for public schools he said;
Another obligation, under the consti-
tuition is, as far as practicable, to provide
for the maintenance of public free
schools, during the next two years out of
the resources at command. The amounts
required by the constitution to be annu-
ally appropriated to that purpose are the
one dollar poll tax, estimated at 1925, 900
each year, and the interest of the state
and railroad bonds belonging to its fund,
amounting to $184, l24.80 per annum,
which amounts to $309, 124S0, to which
may be added small amount that was
not appropriated to the counties by the
board of education last September, which
amount will not be ascertained until
settlement of the books and accounts in
the Comptroller's Office at the end of this
fiscal year, on 31st of August next, which
will be in time for the next apportion-
ment of the school fund in September
next.
To these amounts it is desirable to add,
by an appropriation for each of the two
years, enough of the revenue to keep up
the schools to q reasonable standard of
usefulness, so that there shall be no such
discouragement as to produce want of
confidence that the state will continue
the effort to build up an efficient system
of public free schools whenever, by the
sale of its lands, by the readjustment of
our financial affairs on sound, perma-
nent basis, and the improvements in the
will be accomplished.
We have seen that Governor Roberts
evinced desire even before his election
TO consider the best interests of educa-
ton that he invited teachers to aspire
to places in the legislature, that their in
terests might be personally locked after
there that he held consultation with the
teachers of the state, inviting them 10 de-
liberate upon school matters, and that
when they had completed their work in
convention their suggestions were laid
before the legislature in special mes
sage; that he took advice from them and
proceeded to secure the establishment of
normal schools, and that in the cause of
general education he has labored to have
the schools at Austin, for the deaf
and dumb and for the blind, greatly
improved. Under improvements, too,
in the school law, which needed amend
ing, and which experience teaches needs
more, the public free schools have been
conducted with q, 600 more pupils for
500, 900 less than before, and the schools
have been conducted Just as long as
when the larger sum was given. That
there have been improvements in the
school system, under the present admin
istratiou, none win deny, and there
has been Just as much tuition !
extended as when the state was
giving one-fourth Of its revenue
for school expenditures. The con-
stituiion has been obeyed, while the state
hss been saved avery large sum Of money
and has no big deficiency account upon
which bonds must be issued. Among
the amendments Of the school law. pro
cured during the last session Of the leg-
islafurc, was one which requires that
Trustees shall make their contract
with the teacher On the basis Of The nuIn-
Der Of children Of scholastic see reris-
tered in the community, but no teacher
sail be entitled 70 fuil pay unless he /
average daily attendance Of such pupils