Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-01-11

1t was recommended that the bond.
reported formerly rs of doubtful valid
ity, amounting to $l84,000, issued IL
1875, be recognized as valid. and thu
interest accrued thereon up 10 the
18th of April, 1876, when the present
constitution went into effect, amount.
ing TO over 100000 dollars, be invested
in similar five per cent bonds, and
the interest accrued since. that time
amounting to about SIS, 900, be appro-
priated in money, to become a part OF
the available fund for present use:
that the one million of acres that had
been set apart and surveyed be sold OF
leased, the interest upon the sale OF
which, IL sold on time, could be made
available annually by an amend
ment of the constitution; that
two millions of acres OF
lands he set apart out of the
lands reserved to pay the
public debt, in such manner rs
would not interfere with the interest
in them of the public free schools.
Nearly all of those lands set apart to
pay the public debt have either been
sold or surveyed for purchasers, by
which a right to purchase them has
been legally secured, and the money
amounting to several millions of dol
lars, has been paid and will very soon
be paid into the state treasury for said
lands, one half of which will be the
fund, which may be appropriated to
pay the public debt. That fund un-
like that of the public free schools, is
still under the control of the legisla-
ture as to its disposition, and one
million of dollars, the proceeds of two
millions of acres of said lands, may
still be set apart to the university, ii
the legislature should choose to do II.
Under the constitution Art. Z, Sec.
~ the legislature cannot appropriate
revenue to erect buildings for the uni
versity, nor for the establishment and
maintenance of the branch university
for colored youths; therefore any en-
largement of that part OF
tire main university now
being built, and the erection of build
ings for the medical branch, and the
establishment and maintenance OF the
branch for colored youths must be in
definitely posponed; and the main uni
versity itself will not have the means
to purchase n library, apparatus and
necessary furniture To start with ordi'
nary responsibility, if the opportu-
nifty, still available, is allowed to pass
without appropriating portion of
this fund to the university, including
its several branches. A reason why "a
liberal appropriation should be made
ut once, ii anything further is intended
to be done for the uni
versity, is that any amount
OF money, however small, unless it
be interest of its fund, has to be placed
at once in the permanent fund, and
cannot be used otherwise than to draw
interest after investment. (Con., Art,
II, Sec. IL,
The requirement of the constitution
and the unmistakeable manifestation
of an enlightened public sentiment in
favor of liberal endowment of the
university will doubtless be sufficiently
and respected by the
honored Representatives of the people,
as to render any argument unneces-
sary to stimulate them to actien in "a
measure so important to the well-being
of the state and its people at present,
as well US in all future time.
PUBLIC FREE SCHOOLS.
The leading features of our public
free school system are such rs are
given to it by the constitution of the
state, and such AS are given to it by
the laws passed since the adoption of
the present constitution.
First, by the constitution it is made
''the duty of the legislature to estab-
fish and make suitable provision for
the support and maintenance of an eff
ficient system of public free schools"
(Article Z, sec. ~
1t may be supported by the levy of
taxes, the same as any other object OF
and is thereby made u
part of the ordinary operations of its
administrations, the same as the
courts, the collection of taxes, quaran-
tine, the penitentiaries, the unlver-
sity, or any other. (Article 3, sec. 49,
1t is given a permanent fund in
lands, land sale notes and bonds,
which with the interest thereon, is
protected from being appropriated to
any other object, ARTICLE T..
A part of the revenue shall be set
apart to it annually, not exceeding
one-fourth thereof, and poll tax OF
one dollar, together with the interest
OF its permanent fund. (Ib.)
This, constituting the available
fund, shall be distributed to the
annually, according to the
scholastic population of each, To be APP
piled as may be provided by law. (Ib.)
No part OF it can be appropriated or
used for the support of any sectarian
school. Ib.)
Each county shall have the benefit
in its schools of the interest upon the
bonds, purchased by the sale of its
four leagues of land. dbl
Separate schools are required TO be
provided for white and colored child
rem, and an impartial provision shall
be made for both. (ib.)
The governor, comptroller and
secretary of state shall constitute a
board of education, who shall dis
tribute said funds to the several
counties, and perform such other
duties concerning public schools as
may be prescribed by law tlb.)
The legislature may constitute any
city or town separate and indie
school district, which under
certain regulations, may levy and col
lect an additional tax for its schools.
Article 10, sec. l0.)
These provisions have been thus
collated that it may be seen that they
within themselves a com
plete and consistent system, not as
separate, distinct department, but to
be one of the ordinary operations of
the government, both in its govern
ment and i'm the provision to be made
for its support, except only that it has
the advantage of separate fund to
aid in its support.
1t leaves to the legislature the
and duty of prescribing by
law what part of the whole amount of
the annual revenue, not exceeding