The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-12-01
STOPPING A FALsEHouD.

n EALSEHOOD.
The statement having been made
that the governor went before the
board of university regents, and that
in person he did then ask and urge
endorsement of the count of the uni
versity vote, and this statement
having been flatly denied by him to
representative of the STATESMAN,
the denial was given through these
columns. Thereupon, the additional
statement being made that in reali-
ty the governor did not speak 10
the board, but that he addressed
to it letter upon the subject
n representative of the STATES
MAN called upon him, and asked
what communication he did have
with the board of regents upon the
subject. lie reiterated what he had
previously said. that he did not
speak, nor did he write, to the
board upon the subject, and that
there was not the least ground for
these reports that have been circu-
lated as 10 his course. Copy of any
communication or communications
sent by the governor to the board
was requested of him, and the fol-
lowing letter was given, as the only
one sent by the executive TO the
b oard:
November 1G, 1881.
To the Board of Regents Of "thc University Of
Texas, II. j. Dcvine, Ashbcll Smith, Richard
Il Hubbard, 4. N Edwards, Thomas NJ. IIar-
wood, S.uith Ragsdale, j. L. Camp:
GENTLEMEN-Having assembled to per.
form a most important duty for this state
in the Inauguration of its first high
school, aspiring to the title and grade OF
state university, / deem it proper to
present to you statements from the gen.
eral land Office and cOmptrOller's and
| Jreasurer's office, the amount and char
| acter of property and funds belonging to
| said institution
FIrst-As to the lands, the amount of
- $751; acres, shown in the statement OF
the Hon. William G. Walsh, herewith
| submitted, constitutes the remaining
| apart by the congress of Texas in 1899.
1t Is now subject to sale upon valuation.
| There is a large portion of that, which Is
| in McLennan county, now in litigation ,by
| which the sale of it has been retarded.
Able attorneys have been employed TO
maintain the title Of the state.
| The one million of acres, shown in said
statement, were set apart by the six
teenth legislature and surveyed during the
summer of 1880. They are understood TO
be, for the most part, good pastoral
lands. They were surveyed in sections
| OF $40 acres. There is no law for the sale
| or disposition otherwise. Should your
honorable board arrive ut any eonelu-
| sion as to the best means of dispOsing of
them for the benefit of the Institution
| under your charge, and make Il recOmmen-
datiOn to the Legislature ut its next Ses-
| sion, it would doubtless have its due
| weight.
Second.-As to the funds in the treasu-
ry of the state, belonging to the univer-
| sity, / respectfully refer you to the state
| ment and accompanying explanation OF
the Hon. W. NJ. Brown, comptroller.
From these statements il will be seen
that the amount of the available funds
| now in the treasury is much less than the
| amount appropriated for your immediate
| nse by the seventeenth legislature, to-
wit: Sl5O,0OO for the buildings. and
| $4,000 for furniture, library, etc, max
ing SI90,0O0.
In explanation of this 7 respectfully
refer you to the report Of the
| Hon. 5. ii. Darden, former comptroller,
| for the year ending August 3lst, 1890.
| (pages and y, which was submitted to
the seventeenth legislature, in which 1t
was shown that the interest, which was
| then the available fund. amounted 10
| $lS5, 5,3S1.2T. That, however, was pre-
dicated, as then stated, upon the cOntIn-
| gency that the legislature would pass a
| law establishing or recognizing the valid
| ity OF the bonds. amounting to S134 ,472 .2G,
| that had been uniformly reported pre-
viously, as bonds of doubtful validity,
and also to allow interest on said bonds
| to date (31st of August, 1880, which
| would have amounted TO S91 .SS9.36. No
such law was passed; but, had such Il
law been enacted, | respectfully present
| the question, whether that part of said
| interest, accruing previous to the 18th OF
| April, 1876, would not have belonged to
the permanent, and not TO the
available, fund, under the terms
existing constitution of the state. At
tentlonis also called to this for considera-
ton, in view of any recommendation that
| your honorable board may make to the
legislature in regard to the recognition
OF the validity OF these bonds.
| Ihlru.-Inc hon. r.. Ii. LuDDOck, the
state treasurer, has submitted n state
ment showing the amount OF notes for
which university lands have been sold,
and the probable amount annually paid
| on said notes as an income of the perma-
| nent fund, which, when invested in
bonds, will be their interest annually,
increase the available fund.
L have requested the Hon. T. II. Bow
man, secretary of state. to prepare and
furnish to you copies of the proclamation
ordering the election for the location OF
the university, the tabulated statement
showing the counting of the vote, and the
declaration o! the result of the vote, in
which 1t was determined that the main
university was located at Austin and the
medical department thereof at Galveston.
On account the burning of the capitol
and the confusion in the business of his
office, consequent thereon, he has been
unable to do SO. The originals are sub
jeet to your inspection and copies OF them
will be furnished to you as soon as practi-
| cable.
Respeetfufully your ob't serv't,
o. NJ. ROBERTS,
| GnVaI