The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-01-20

show that our system has not been
perfectly carried out : still it is evil
dent that it is from year to year inn
proving.
Upon this subject L respectfully
refer ven to the.report, and. supple-
ment Of the Commissioner of the
Land Office, that you may see what
q large increase there has been in the
sale of the lands belonging 10 the
public free schools, and the consv-
quent increase OF that fund since the
law of the Sixteenth Legislature
went into effect, which allowed rs
much as three sections of land To be
sold TO one person without requir-
ing him to settle on it, being 360,360
acres in the first nine months after
the land was thus put upon the mar
ket.
In the report ofthe Board of Edu-
cation an account is given of the
normal school, for the education OF
white teachers, male and female, for
which an appropriation was made
cut of the public free school fund of
$4,000 for each of the years 1879
1880, and 16S0-1SSl. In that school,
established at Huntsville, there have
been supported, except clothing,
seventy-four pupils last year, and
provision made for ninety-three PIT
pills this year. Ii was aided by q
donation from the Peabody educa-
tiOnal fund, through the agency of
DR.. Sears. now deceased, to the
amount OF 81, 2oe for last year, and
$4,000 tins year, which is designed
to be devoted to teachers te give
them good salaries.
The splendid success ofthis school,
its utility in school system, and the
assurance received of continued and
increased aid from the Peabody
fund, will induce me TO request that
ut least two more such schools shall
be established, one in the Northern
and the other in SouthW esterp
Texas. to which will more partiea-
larry call your attention hereafter.
1t is proper to say that one of the
best results prouuecd by the laws
that have been passed, and the mode
of carrying these out, is the educa-
tional interest which has been
aroused, and the general confidence
inspired that a good practieaf sys-
ITEM of common. schools can. be .es-
itabiishel enthe present foundation.
and thatiLhe state has the, ,meaqS to
Ido-it without an, onefeus bHfdellyof
taxationy fShaH hereafter endeavoF,
to- present TO therl legislature 5sOIhe,
considerations fer the advaneenrehtl
of education within the state.st- a. .
THE FRONTIER PROTECTION IAND
SPECIAL POLICE. FORCE - g
have been maintained with eff
cheney, with nearly one-half the ex-
pense formerly appropriated. That
has been done by equalizing the
the compensation of the officers and
men, reducing it so that 100000
have been sufficient to support both
forces, with competent officers and
good men.
In this connection, it is proper 10
say, that we are indebted to our del
egation in Congress for their efforts
and influence in procuring, upon my
urgent request, and upon informa-
ton collected mainly by Gen. J. b.
Jones, the passage of law of Con-
gress at its last session, prohibiting
the officers of the United States, eX-
cept the President, from granting to
the Indians of the reservations leave
to come into Texas for any purpose
whatever. This law, if complied
with, will greatly relieve our force
in the field, and allow them to give
almost exclusive attention to giving
aid to peace officers in the arrest of
criminals, and in otherwise aiding
III the execution of the laws, which
will continue to be necessary to SEINE
extent, so long as we have an extern
sive unsettled or sparsely settled
country within the limits of Texas.
/ respectfully refer you to the report
Of the Adjutant General for q full
account of the operations of his de-
partment.
You will find in that. also, the
great benefit of having examined
into the financial affairs pertaining
to it, by which the means of improY-
ing its efficiency was discovered
and applied.
There Is also shown there that the
state militia has been organized I'M
der the law of the Sixteenth Legis-
ture, rs a substantial arm ofthe gov
eminent, to aid in an efficient eXecu-
ton of laws, and in the protection
of property and life, under the di-
rection of the civil authorities. re-
spectfully recommend due eonsid-
Grafton of your honorable bodies as
to how best there may be some suit
able provision of permanent char
acter, by which its continual organ
iZation may be encouraged, and eX-
tended to all parts of the state, and
for their, compensation when called
into service in aid of the civil au-
thorities; and in this connection beg
leave TO suggest that the part of the
original bill inserted in the Revised
Civil Statutes. which was stricken
out by the Sixteenth Legislature,
might be so modified as to be ac-
ceptable for that purpose, by levy
ing and collecting, as other taxes,
from all persons of the proper age
for military service who do not join
the companies, Il very small tax, a
mere triile, to be disposed OF for the
objects hereiu indicated.
have referred 10 these two sub
jects relating to the schools and to
frontier protection and police ser
vice, because they have heretofore
been objects for which. there has
been the greatest expenditure of
revenue, and by giving special at
tention to them, there has been the
most notable retrenchment of.eX-
penses, and at the same time a de-
cided Improvement in bringing
them to systematic efficiency be-