The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-08-02
THE AMENDMENTS.
Hon. J. W. Throckmorton's Views on
the Constitutional Amendments.
He Fayors their Passage In the Coming
Election,
Strong, Cogent Reasons for Adoption

Strong, Cogent Reasons for Adoption.
MCKINNEY, July 30.-ICorrespondence. l.
Knowing the importance attached 10 inc
opinions O: our fellow. citizen, Hon. j. W.
Throckmorton, your correspondent some
time since requested OF Hon. j. w. Ihrock-
morton his views on the pending con-
stitu,iopal amendments. The governor re-
sponded that he had been requested 10 give
his views by representatives OF several pa
rrrs. and az his first leisure would 40 SO;
Gouits adjourned Saturday ana To-Day.
transmit the. response Oh the request
am in, favor of the amendments To sec
i;ons 4 and OF the seventh article OF the
constitution touching lhe schooi iuhu. as
the constitution now IS, the ptoceeus v, 'ne
sales of the school LANDS can ohig pe III
vested II, the bonds OF the state OF Texas or
honds of the United States. You cannol
now invest in Texas bonds except al
rninons rate as the state bonds command II
very high premium, and the same may pc
said of Inc United States bonds, except the
2 ner cents. which are redeemaole IN Il very
few wears. Besides this consideration, the
time is rapidly approaching Wneh thete
will be no outstanding bonos Vi .ne sla.o
of the United States, i'll which you Gah in-
vest, and without an amendments the con
stitn ion the proceeds arising from the SAFE
of the school lands would, as wen as .He
principal of the fund now on haho' remain
a dead unproductive fund in the treasury 40
ouly the interest arising from 1t can We use =,
The legislature will have to PROVIDE Dy Jaw
what other additional securities the lunu
shall be invested in if the amendments
carry. The same applies to the oou i
school lands and proceeds OF ther s ssG
The state is held under the pioposSu,u
amendment responsible for the safe invest
ment of the school fund, and the couniies
are held responsible for the safe NV stmebt
of the proceeds of their school lands rms
is right, as, in the first place, 1t Will force
the legislature to be careful in the enact
ment of the law providing for the invest
ment, and make the people careful In Inc
selection of their legislature and commis-
sioners' courts and enforce care on the part
of the courts.
I favor the amendment to sec. 3, art. .,
of the constitution, for the reason that
sec. in said article of the constitution
provides for maximum state taS OF my
cents on the 800, and allows the counties
and towns each levy OF wenty-fve cents
on the 500, for general purposes, ana eaGh
a tax of fifty cents on the $lGo ior puodff
building, thus allowing maximum tax OF
state, county and town..
The proposed amendment makes the
maximum state tax 80 cents on the one
hundred dollars; to counties ana towns
3 ach not more than 20 cents on the one nun
tired dollars, and for the erection OF puolc
buildings streets, sewers and other perma-
pent improvements not to exceed 20 cents
on the one hundred dollars valuation and
10 cents additional to each Tor roads and
bridges. making q maximum Tor state,
county and town or city purposes not eX-
ceeding 81. IS on the one hundred dollars
valuation, making difference OF 80 cents
as maximum with rate OF taxation In favor
Of proposed amendment. Both the constr
tuition and the proposed amendment pro-
vide for additional taxes for the payment OF
debts-state, county and clty-ln WHICH re-
spect there is no change. -
| also favor the amendment to section of
article of the constitution for the reason
that it separates the school fund lax from
the general revenue tax. In the first place,
it is well known that under the constltu-
ton one-iourth of the general revenue may
he set aside for common school purposes.
If Won reduce the occupation and ad valo-
rem taxes below what the constitution al
lows. YOU also reduce the school fund, ana
hence the schools cannot operate more
than three or four months in the year.
There is and has been a large surplus IN
the treasury. That breeds extravo gance,
and none OF that surplus can be used LOT
schools because the constitution only al
lows one-fourth of the general revenue TO
be so used.
The whole state has cried out against this
.urpius in the treasury. The public debt
il being paid off and will soon be eXtin-
guishei, all the expenditures OF the state
and It's public debt can easily be met with
reduced occupation aud advalorem tax
Fifteen cents on the hundred collars, Win
the three-lourths of the occupation tax :,
Will run the state government. ii you re-
luce the taxes under the present system
Won reduce the school fund and practically
DESTROY the schools. The proposed amend
ment 10 section article allows maxi
mum school tax OF % cents on the 500, and
n addition one-fourth OF the occupation
axes and the 81 poll tax, as now allowed by
he constitution.
This is the maximum, and II the funds
thus provided should run the schools more
.Iau Six months In the year the ~ cents al
yalorem tax may be reduced.
Itisarepubican feature OF urinstitutions
and the one most dearly prized by Ar-eri-
,an people, that the majority shall rule,
INT for the protection OF the minority THIS |
provision In relation to the district system |
-eauires a two thirds vote 10 favor II be.
ore il can be operative. To sum up and |
AXE the entire subject OF taxation as al
ected by all the amendments under The /
present system and as proposed by the
we find that under the con-
,titutiou as il now stands, the maximum
ate of taxation, exclusive OF public debts.
ate county or town, amounts 10 " on tne
100 valuation of properly under the
proposed. exclusive OF DEBTS,
tate, county or town, the maximum
ate il one dollar and fifty cents on the 500
II. wfssa II includes
IS cents road and bridge tax aud the -
,ents school tax. 30 that the maximum rate
II taxation IL 10 cfnts less on the 500 under
be proposed amendment, than under the
a. IL now exists. As a matter
II course this statement does not ref-r 70 the
az that may be voted under the distri't
ystem as that matter is left entir,ly TO the
bey NAV be desired. AZ 10 the amend
nent TO article 5. diminishing the number
Il terms Of the county court Il IL 20 neces-
ary and its necessity % absolutely appa-
ent IL Would be q waste Of time 10 give any
eason why Il should be adopted
This amendment further provides that
be counties, any one or al OF them, may
,e divided by legislative enactment into
chool districts. and the property holders o.
nv such district. BY q tvo-thirds vote Of al
he qualified property tsH-paying voters OF
uch q district that vote az any election
rdered for such purpose, may levy
pecial tax, not 20 exceed % cents on the
100. a. an additional fund To- the support
4 free schools. Towns and cities may DO
o. but the Limitation OF - ce1ts on the
100 does not apply 20 them, They may (
oss more thsn he % csuts. The whole Of
bis amendment IL proper. In the hrst
lscs the fathers Of the republic showed
bev were in favor Of free schools. and ded-
safed four leagues Of lsI d 20 each county
yr fhaf purpose. The trainers Of
be- constitution Of 1915 made provision
Br free schools. the constitution Of 80 did
teuise different leRislatures edded The
lternafe sections cf 81 the railway and
.nai and ofber lands 20 the same purD0se.
be people Of the state have always sus-
.iued the mos liberal legislation 20 secure
BE- success q the free school ErEern- The