The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-01

fifty-six men in two day
Thus it is that voluntee
is thrown away, that injustice is don
to certain classes of citizens, and tn
whole county suffers from bad road:
If the committee deem it best
nse money to help keep UP the road:
with proper restriction, let them d
so. But it is not we'll to jump fron
one extreme to another, and it is be
lieved tax sufficient to buy Scrapers
hire wagons and teams and buy lum
Der for drains and culverts would b
better than personal service of fiv,
days per annum, and would keep oul
roads in at least pasSable condition
A vote was taken on the amend
ment, but division and ayes and noe
called for. The amendment was final
ly lost by vote of IA ayes to ID nays
The Chair-The question is upon the
amendment of Senator Pope.
Houston think the discussion O.
this question has taken an entirely
unnecessary range. The argument.
made might be applicable to bill
seeking to give effect to the section OF
the constitution latter the adoption
and ratification of the proposed
amendment, but in my judgment i:
in no way pertinent to the question
now before the senate. The object OF
the amendment proposed to the con
stitution is not to give power to the
commissioners courts of the different
counties and l apprehend that il
would in no way affect the powers OF
such courts until some subsequent
legislative enactment should give eff.
feet to the section amended. The idea
of this joint resolution is to extend
the power of the legislature, and the
limitations in it are limitations upon
legislative action alone. This limita-
ton is sufficient, think, in the resolu.
ton as reported by the committee
and amendments to it are unnecessa.
~. Legislation on organic law is al.
ways injurious and tends to distract
Organic law should be plain and sim.
pie, in as few words as practicable, SC
that its construction may be certain
and unmistakable. This / think is
true of the resolution as reported, and
| am opposed TO trying to legislate in
amendments to it. The provision OF
the resolution which seems so Obiec-
tionable to many, allows the legisla-
ture to pass a law authorizing the levy
of county taxes. FirSt-For the pay:
ment of Indebtedness already incurred
Second-For the construction or re
pair of public buildings. Third-FOl
the construction and repair of roads
and bridges, said special tax for all
these purposes, in the aggregate, not
to exceed 90 cents ON 800 in any one
year. If we had under discussion in
act authorizing a road and
bridge tax under this con-
stitutional provision, should certain
ly favor the equitable opportiOnment
of the burden upon all classes of our
citizens. The proper proportion of
the burden should be borne by capital
and labor both. The duty should not
be imposed alone upon the labOrer,
neither should the taxpayer bear alone
the expense. But ! apprehend that
the proper adjustment of the matter
must be made by legislative enact
ment and not by lacking upon this
resolution Il series of limitations in
the nature of legislation.
The reason requiring the amend
ment of the present constitution is
that it places too many limitations
and restrictions upon the representa-
tiveS and the people. because it IN
dertakes too much legislation. And
now it is proposed to destroy the
good effect of this proposed amend
ment to that constitution by the same
evils. L can see the Importance of
and the necessity for the resolution,
us it came from the committee, and
am opposed to impairing its benefits
by the proposed amendments.
Mr.. Chesley urged IN support of his
that, as the provision
now stood authorizing special tax
of forty cents on the 800, for any
one year, for courthouse, Jail, roads
and bridges, that i'll counties where no
or jailS were required to
be built or repaired. the commission
ers courts would have the power to
go to the full maximum of forty
cents tax for roads and bridges, or
either of them. That this was Il dan
gerous power, which in many counties
of the state would be abused by that
court; that the people were willing to
be taxed to limited extent for road
but did not want to be
placed at the mercy of commission
ers court, in many Instances not
elected by or in sympathy with the
taxpayers, and that fifteen cents on
the 800 was sufficient maximum tax
for roads and bridges. lie also IA
Vored Supplementing the money tax
for roads and bridges, with a labor
tax for the same purpose. so that all
persons of all classes should contrib
ute toward the keeping up of good
roads in the country.
By Mr.. Gooch: Substitute for the
of Mr.. Pope. Strike out
except for the payment of debts in
Cured prior TO the adoption of this
and insert the follow
ing: Not to exceed. in any one year,
20 cents on the 500 valuation; and
except also to aid in the construction
and repair of bridges, roads and
streets, not to exceed, in any one year,
10 cents or the 500 valuation; and
except to repair and construct public
buildings not to exceed rs cents on
the 500 valuation; and except also as
may be otherwise provided in this
Mr.. Gooch, in reference to the
which he had offered,
said that his proposition was to limit
the taxes for the specific purposes
mentioned. That not more than %
cents on the 800 of value should be
on the people in any one
year as special tax. That under his
not exceeding that sum
could be levied to pay outstanding
debts heretofore created, and in the
future not exceeding 20 cents on the
500 could be levied to erect public
buildings in any one year. That it
was evident that there are many coun-
ties in the state, and especially in the
timbered and watered sections of the
state, where the ordinary tax levied
to support counties would not be suf-
ficient. Small rivers and large and
small creeks and bottoms must have
bridges built over them for the bene-
fit of commerce and public conven-
fence, and some cities must have
drainage, sewerage and culverts,
which must be provided by special
taxation. l am, therefore, in favor of
a limited and reasonable
special tax by counties, cities and
towns to aid in building and keeping
in repair bridges, roads and streets,
and have proposed a limit Of Is
cents on the 800. With the aid of
county and, possibly, unemployed state
convicts, this sum would go very
far towards relieving labor of the
heavy burden now imposed on it by
law, under the road law. | do not
that non-property holders
complain or have right to complain
because capital or property holders do
90 = l.