The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-05-27
STATE PRESS REVIEW.
The War on the Press.
Sherman Courier,


When the Seventeenth Legislature assem-
bles it will have the honesty of purpose and
sufficient interest In the people and the news
paper press Of the country t. investigate the
last tax law passed by the Sixteenth Legisla-
ture wherein it will be seen the advertising
of delinquent tax lists taken from the nespa-
pers, which did the work ut from ten to
twenty cents per name, but whereas by the
last arrangement of the Legislature, the Col
lector is allowed to write out three lists, put
them up in three different places in the
county, and receive for the writing Of each
name on one of these lists one dollar. Or, ia
other words, for writing one name three
times the Collector is pnid three dollars.
How newspaper man, or any man who
loves justice, or who has the interest of him
self or his State at heart, can conscientousy
support any man for reelection TO the l.egis.
lature who was such ninkapoop as to vote
such n swindle on the people, Is past our
comprehension. But this is not the worst
by any means. The land sharks who are
ever ON the alert, can surrepttiously, may
be, in one hour after these lists are posted
upon the side OF house, tear them down,
and II mans land be sold without the least
possible knowledge that it has ever been ad-
vertised Parties out of the State and own
ing lands in the State, unless by mere acci-
dent, would never know of such ADVERTISE
ment at all, should such posted lists even
remain up until the first shower of rain or
wind storm.
But we will let the Waco Telephone tell
the balance, only adding, that we do hope
the peoples eyes may be opened to this, MS
veil MS other delusions, under which they
have been lsboring, concerning this 10Th Leg
islature, and in the future look more to com.
potency in the selections of legislators.
From quite number of counties come
complaints Of the workings of the new sys-
tenn of selling land for delinquent taxes. The
Sixteenth Legislature passed law which
provides that the collector of taxes may
write out three notices containing the delin-
quent list, and post said notices up at the diff
ferent places in the county, one of said
places being the courthouse. In several
counties the notices, MS soon as posted have
been torn down, presumably by persons in
terested IN suppressing any general knowl-
edge of the sale. These are the land-sharks,
or their agents, who are about the only per-
sons on hand when the sale takes place. In
many counties the masses of the people have
no idea ut all when the sales will take place.
The Legislature abolished the Newspaper ad.
vertising of such sales, ostensibly on the
ground of economy" but at the same imet
made the new system live times as expensive
as the one abolished. The State pays col
lector one dollar for every name he writes on
one of these delinquent lists. Heretofore
newspapers published them at rates ranging
from ten to twenty cents per name, and pub.
lished the list for three weeks. The law
seems to have been framed for the special
benefit Of tax collectors and land sharks, and
to impose now burdens upon the people.
Under its operations the expense of collect
ing $1,000 will amount to another thousand
This is II fair sample of the wisdom and
economy of the Sixteenth Legislature. The
people should thank Heaven il can never
meet again unless the Governor convenes it
in extra session.