San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-07-12
AMENDMENTS.



tive Committee. composed of Senator
Shannon. Representatives Armstead
Rosenthal and Foster OF Grayson, me-
to day and framed the following
ADDRESS:
To the People of the State of Texas; :.
The trainers of our present organic
law, recognizing the fact that however
mush it might be regarded as an i'm
provement upon all preceding state
constitutions, il, like all other human
productions, would be found by e1pe'
perience and trial to be in some OF its
parts at least, imperfect, and that
amendments thereto would in time be
demanded by the best interest of the
state, provided the mode and manner
by which it might be amended as fol-
lows:
"Sec. 1, Art. 1.-THE legislature ut
any biennial session by vote OF two
thirds of all the members elected to
each house, to be entered by yeas and
nays on the journals, may propose
amendments to the constitution to be
voted upon by qualified electors for
members of the legislature, which pro-
posed amendments shall be fully pub
ished once week for four weeks,
commencing at least three month be-
fore an election, the time of which
shall be specified by tho Legislature, in
one weekly newspaper in each county
in which such newspaper is pub
lished. And it shall be the duty of
the several returning officers OF said
election to open poll for and make re-
turn to secretary of the state of the
number of legal votes cast at said cleo
ton for and against said amendments
and if more than one be proposed, then
the number cast for and against each
of them; and if it shall appear from
said returns that o majority Of the
votes cast have been cast in favor of
any amendment, the said amendment
so receiving a majority of the votes
cast, shall become part of the consti-
tuition, and proclamation shall be made
by the governor thereof.
In conformity thereto the Eighteenth
Legislature have submitted to your
approval or rejection the following
Joint resolutions, each of which con-
tains proposition to amend the Sec
ton or sections of the constitution
theirn referred. to.
We will present them in this order.
First-Joint resolution No. 2. pro-
poses amendments to sections 4 and 6
of article 7 of the present constitution,
which require the investment of all the
proceeds of the sale of the school lands
belonging to the state and to the sew
al counties, in Texas state bonds or in
United State bonds. The amendment
proposed, so changes section 4 as to
empower the comptroller under in
struction of the board of education to
invest the proceeds of the sale of the
State school land in Texas State bonds,
United States bonds, Texas county
bonds, or other securities as may be
provided by law and makes the State
responsible for all investments. And
section so that the proceeds of the
sale of county school bonds may be
invested in state or United State bonds
or such other securities as may be pre-
scribed by law and make the counties
responsible for all investments; the
interest theron and other revenue ey-
cept the principal, shall be available
school fund. The purpose of the leg
islature in proposing this amendment
is made manifest by consideration
of the fact that the premiums in both
State and Federal bonds is SO high
compared to the low rate of interest
they bear that to continue to invest in
either would be destructive to the
prime object for which investment in
made, that is, the securing of an avail
able school fund.
Second-Section 9 article s of the
present constitution authorizes the
levy of not more than SO cents on the
800 valuation, exclusive of the tax
necessary to pay the public debt, and
no county, city or town shall levy more
than one-half of said state tax except
for payment of debts already incurred
and for the erection of public buildings,
and not to exceed 80 cents on the 500
valuation in any one year, and except
as in this constitution is otherwise pro-
vided. The amendment proposed to
the foregoing by joint resolution No. 4,
is in substance as follows: "The tax on
property, exclusive of the tax necessary
to pay the public debt and for the tax
es provided for the benefit of the pub
lie free schools shall never exceed 35
cents on the 500 valuation, and no
county, city or town shall levy more
than % cents on he 800 valuation for
city or county purposes and not ex-
ceeding 10 cents on the 800 valuation
for roads and bridges, except for the
payment of debts incurred prior to the
adoption of this amendment and for
the erection of public buildings, street
sewers and other permanent improve
ments. not to exceed % cents On the