The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
DON'T VOTE THE TAX.

which nave Deen leased LOT ten years
at $1,000 year, and for 5000 in i'm
pTovements to be turned over with
the land at the end of the term. The
on the part of Travis
county, is most creditable, showing |
that the interests of the county have
been guarded with care. There are |
a number of cases like Travis, where |
the county commissioners have dis
posed of county school lands to the
be t advantage, and unborn children
are going to enjoy advantages from
the enhanced value of the lands and
from revenue derivable therefrom.
Brazaria county owned four lea ues
of school land, more valuable even
than the Travis county school lands,
but they were sold for
seventy-tiVe cents an acre, and
Brazoria county now receives $500
annually as interest on the money de-
rived from the sale. The people of
BraZoria county are to blame for
having an incompetent, probably an
irresponsible and even dishonest set of
officials. There are other counties
which, like Brazoria, have used public
bounties for private gain, instead of
holding them for local benefit. Then,
here are two classes of cases: The
one represents honesty and compe-
tency in office, the other dishonesty or
incompetency, or both. Now, let US
see how this glorious school law, for
which state tax of twenty cents is
asked, operates. Travis county has
saved its land bounty and has from it
a very pretty revenue, which in
the coming years will grow,
and after while its four
leagues of land will give it an annual
income between $4,000 and $4,000.
Brazoria county, the state being guar
dian, may hold on to its $500. Travis
county carefully guards its school
fund; Brazoria county throws hers
away. The children of the one county
are provided for; those of the other
are cast aside in favor of local rings,
with souls too small even to make a
good thing for the members out of a
splendid subject for speculation.
Under this beautiful law of taxation
it is proposed to tax all alike, and to
distribute among all alike. The
people of Travis county and those of
Brazoria would be alike called on tC
pay 20 cents on the 800 of valuation
The state takes the entire sum
so collected, and provides for all alike
charging nothing for incompetence
Each child in Travis county and eacf
child in Brazoria county is giveI
alike; they all have equal apportion
ment. Revenue derived from Travi.
county is turned over to Brazori;
county to make up for its shortcom
ings through incompetency or lack Of
honesty in public administration. Tit
same applies now, and the per cent Of
taxation, at this time collected for thu
schools, is more in reason than thai
which is contem plated under the pro
posed amendment. The wisdom of tn,
fathers provided, that taxation nigh
be light, or that there might be non,
at all. the most splendid educationa
endowment for the chill
dren of Texas ever givel
by any county or state. To al
counties was given, in their own right
four leagues of land, and then ther
were saved for general fund fit
million acres of land; all these gift
and reservations being for the benefi
of public education. Instead of tn
legislature teaching counties lesson
of economy, they are encouraged il
profligacy and even in corruption
No matter how much economy
practiced by one county, and hov
much profiigacy or base speculation
practiced in another, the law provide
F that the well administered count
shall, through taxation, contribute t
the one where evil practices rule. Dis
honesty and incompetency ar
/ thus placed at premium, while hon
esty and competency are heavily dis
counted. The system proposed to b
bolstered by heavier. taxation is
grand farce. 1t is an evil, at presen
, fastened upon us, and it is therefor
the part of prudence to conine it at
point where the least harm may b
, done. The property of the state
now taxed seven and one-half cent
, on the one hundred dollars of valus
, ton, for the benefit of schools. LIE
it remain as it is, and where the az
portionment is not sufficient for tn
, wants of communities, let local taxa
ton be reSorted to. Let us have
system encouraging economy, not sus
, tanning extravaganza. 1t is a note
: fact, that in the counties where tn
apportionment gives more than i
contributed, the schools are less eff
cient than in the counties where NOR
, is con ributed than is distributed
The true theory, so soon as the schoo
lands generally contribute to tn
school fund, will be to suspend taxa
ton for school purposes. Some of tn
Northern states, even without an,
permanent funds, pay no genera
taxes for schools, but provide for 10
cal taxation under general regulation
and so they sustain creditable pub
lie school system. The school distric
system, with local taxation in thos
districts, is what is needed. Thestat
tax for schools should be reduced
from year to year, as the permanent
interest bearing fund increases, unit
the bounties of the fathers, will
such local aid as will induce people tt
practice economy, shall sustain tn,
schools of the state. 1t is folly to e
on increasing tax which is shown t.
be unwise in its imposition, and singu
larly unjust in its operation.
WHAT SANITATION DOES.