The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-11-23
PROMISES TO THE UNIvEasrr.

The laying Of the corner stone b.
the university was only formal oc-'
casion in the history of movement
fraught with many advantages to
Texas. This university is to be q
great popular institution for educa-
ting the boys aud girls from among
the masses, who possess ambition Cor
attaining higher education, and
right royalty, therefore, should 1t be
sustained by the state in this inter
est. Gov. Roberts made an appeal
to the legislature at its last session
for land endowment for the uni
versity, and though its friends la
bored with right good zeal in behalf
thereof, the interests of land specula-
tors were considered paramount TO
that OF the people, and the land, in
stead of being tiven in part to the
children of the state, was left to these
spectators. And right well have
they taken advantage of the consider
alton shown individuals instead
of the masses. To-day IL is said not
an acre fthe public domain is left
INDICATED; all the lands reserved for
the payment of the public debt-the
fifty cent lands have been secured
by spectators, and they are now
disposing of these same lands to
English syndicates for one dollar or
more per acre. The effort was TO
secure to the university two million
acres of the public domain, but, as
stated, the plan was defeated, and
today there is no land left with which
to endow. Anything among the early
law-givers of Texas there were men
who ranked as statesmen. They un-
derstood the intimate relation be-
tween a university aud common
schools, that one was depend
ent upon the other, and
hence law was made that
one-Ienth Of the lands set aside for
school purposes should be specially
reserved for endowing state uni
versity. This law was disregarded
and finally it was repealed, after
period when many millions of acres
were set aside for schools, and during
which the just contributions TO the
university fund would have exceed
ed the amount asked by Senator
Terrell and others, during the last
session Of the seventeenth legisla-
ture. The just claims OF the universi-
ty have thus been disregarded by
men unworthy to he called leglsla-
tors, aud at Galveston the Democra-
cy of Texas, properly rebuked the
legislature for not doing so just
thing as that which was asked In
spirit of equity. The Democratic
platform, therefore, to which a ma
jority of the members elect to the
eighteenth legislature are pledged.
promises full justice to the univer-
sity, either In land donation or In
money arising from the sale of the
lands which should have been re-
served for the ample endowment OF
this great popular institution.
The few professors now chosen to
inaugurate the educational feature \
of the institution, next fall, are but
a beginning. Six schools and seven
professors cannot make university.
and therefore the eighteenth legisla-
ture will have the honor of making
such provision as will make this In
stitution the pride OF Texas. The
state is rich and full of varied and
vast resources, and its university
should comport with its greatness In
empire and material wealth, as well
as in the expanding intellect Of q
great people. The popular pulse
beats at last in unison with 4
the grand undertaking, a.
voiced by the Democracy at
Galveston. Demagogues attempted
to start popular wave against the
university, but they failed. The
spirit of the fathers lives, and the
university is yet to be what they
intended it should be-the cap stone
of the common school structure, th0
pride of every Texan.