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

Ex-Governor o. M Roberts to the Eighteenth
Legislature Of Texas.

Legislature Of Texas.
lsxKcuTIvE OFFIcE, AUSTIN, TEXAS
January 10, 1882.
To the Honorable senate and House OF Rep
re<cntntivcs In the Legislature Assembled
You, as the representatives OF the
people of Texas, have come 10 the cap
ital 10 enact laws for their government
nj n most important period Of the his
tory of the State.
Your fellow citizens feel assured that
they, through your agency shape
the government to their own liking,
according To the will of the majority,
under the powers, limitations and re-
strictions Of the constitution.
The blessings of good government
have been secured by their previous
efforts, and In Its enjoyment they
are now satisfied people. An cx-
ubertant prosperity fills the country TO
overlooking at the present time. The
glowing prospects for It's future adj
vancemcnt In the elements of great
ness, IL equally encouraging. It's
progress during the last ten
years has been unprecedented
in the annals Of states, on
this continent. IL has, In that time,
emerged from comparative obscurity
to u favorable appreciation throughout
our sister states, and throughout the
nations Of Europe. The foundations
for much of that progress were laid be-
fore was elected and became gov
ernor Of the state, four years ago. Dur
ing my two administrations the policy
pursued was plainly marked out. IL
was the practical reformation Of all OF
the governmental operations In exist
ence, with such additions only, as
were In accord with the spirit Of the
age, and ~ were prompted by the ex-
listing condition of the country and
its pressing wants.
In the pursuit Of that policy, there
has been In the main II harmonious
cooperation by the legislature and
the executive officers, sanctioned by
thegenernl appreciation OF the people.
Its rcsultsin so short time have been
remarkable.
The advalorem taxes have been re-
duccd from fifty to thirty cents on the
one hundred dollars worth of prop.
erty, and the occupation taxes nearly
In tile same proportion. An overflow
ing treasury now gives promise OF an
ability for further reduction. a
signal improvement In the collection
OF taxes has boon accomplished.
The debt OF the state has been re-
duced, approximately In round mum
bers, FROM 50 400, 900, on the first OF
January, 1870, TO A,0O0,o00, on the
first OF January, 1888, II difference OF
$t,4DO,0 900. The interest thereof has
been reduced proportionatcly greater,
by calling In the 10 per cent. bonds,
and issulng5 per cent. bonds IN place
ofthem, In which there was IN annual
dimimtion Of over $4,000 interest.
The interest ~ the public debt was
annually 1865 900 on the first of Jan.
nary, 1870, and on the first of January
1883, S227 900, making difference o
about Si4O 100 in the interest.
OF the 81 900 900 of bonded debt less
than 81 800 900 of II IA owned by indi
yiduals, and over $500, 600 OF 1t IL II
the state treasury, owned by the
special school funds, the university
and either funds, the interest on which
amount Il annually paid to thes,
funds for our own benefit.
Our public credit has been so On.
HANGED that II has been difficult &c
buy our six per cent. bonds at a pre-
MUM of forty dollars to the one hun,
dred dollars.
The taxable property has increased
from $3.50 900, 900 In 1877 to $40, 000, 900
NJ estimated In 1882.
The permanent fund of the public
free schools has Increased by tho sale
of It's lands from 81 ,029, 900 to IS, 3Gl :.
900, on January lat, 1883, with u prob.
able increase shortly of over million
.,fI Al l.,y al ~
served lands.
The common free schools have been
improved, the length OF their terms
nave increased every year. md the
amounts annually appropriated Il
them have been greater, being this
scholastic year over one million of dol.
lars, and the scholastic population has
increased over ten per cent. upon the
number of each proceeding year, and
now numbers over 29b, 900.
Two normal schools have been es-
tablished, one for white and the other
for colored pupils, whose expenses at
the schools are horne by the state, In
which there are now about two hun
dred pupils, who ARE being taught and
trained To become teachers in our pub
lie free schools,
Summer normal institutes have been
established during the last two years.
which have been numerousiy attended
by the teachers of the state,
lt Is proper here to note our obliga-
lions for the liberal contributions OF
the Peabody fund to our white normal
school, 10 the summer normal insti.
tutcs, and TO other free schools In cities
aud towns In, Texas,
The agricultural college, formerly u
literary high school In effect, has been
transformed into an agricultural and
mechanical college In fact, and It's
rooms are all full OF students.
The University of Texas, its main
branch, itsnledlcal branch, and branch
for celored youths, have been located
by vote OF the people. One million
of acres of land have been added TO its
fund, the building for the main uni
versity, 1T Austin, Is now being erected
and IL, with ita branches, now awaits
the intelligent recognition of the lcgis.
iature, In such liberal action as will
meet the public demand for It's hide
quato endowment and speedy ofgnl-
ization.
The fruNtlersman no longer fears the
tomahawk of the savage Indian, and
the expenses of the police and frontier
forces have been reduced TO 500, 900 for
the fiscal year, and their existence al
all in few years viii lac thing OF the
past. The two pouitentmries have
been brought ton completion, approx
,na,ely, and a new lease of thein. has
been made, looking TO an immediate
and gradual increase OF conyicts within
their walls, until tho room for them is
tuil, with u provision that leaves the
state NJ liberty TO erect another one.
aud have Il filled With convicts. The
administration OF the laws in the
courts has been expedited, and their