Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-01-17
IRELAND's INAUGURAL.
various Subjects Of Legislation Brsny
Diseased with Promise OF More '"
Come.

commonwealth on earth, 90 80 WIN
doubts and forebodings ~ 70 my cspa-
city for the task.
looking back few years we be-
hold Texas part Of the Spanish King
dom; BY the revolution OF 1871 she be-
came part Of the republic OF Mexico;
Mexico refusing TO her distant terri
tory that just and equal place in the
family that was due to the people and
Texas, having been sought by blood that
knew what freedom and equal rights
were, this blood, aided by many noble
families deceuded from that OF Cas-
tile. soon inaugurated the movement
that eliminated at San Jacinto and
spoke a new nation into life.
For many years the Republic Of Tex
as consisted Of her ancient and noble
settlement in eastern Texas, the lower
Brazos settlement and the missions,
including San Antonio; her progress
was slow, but soon the idea OF annex
alton began TO grow and was made
flnality in 1915; her population was
then about 1900 souls, and ~ late rs
1870 the total population was but little
over 100000. Up 10 near that period
we had no disturbing questions about
public lands, our free schools consisted
In what was known as the INDECENT
system, we had no perplexing ques-
tons Of taxation, the penitentiary was
almost mythical and our asylums were
only known ia name. The principal
duty of the executive WAS to sign pat
ents and look to the frontier.
now CHANGED THE SCENE
Over two millions population, and
instead Of the small settlements before
mentioned, we find the entire country,
'from the Red River TO the Rio
Grande and from the coast to III Paso"
peopled aud yielding all the material
products for the consumption of our
race; while the Pan Handle supplies
Chicago, New York, the Indian tribes
and portions of Europe with beef-each
section constantly struggling for the
mastery aud endcavoring to impress its
ideas and laws upon the state.
The public lands are exciting that
energy and calling forth that same
spirit Of gain. that the gold fields OF
Australia and those of California did.
The growth and settlement Of the dis
tant parts of our territory have demon
strated the fact that laws that are
suitable for the Red Riv or country do
not prove beneficial to the Rio Grande,
and those that the coast desire are not
welcome at III Paso With all these
difficult and conflicting elements and
interests must we deal. Shall we
font along in tho avenues Of
the sluggard, care nothing
for the future, or shall we
deal with these great Interests rs
though we, and n0tp osterity, are to be
affected by our action?
Prominent among the subjects that
will challenge the attention Of this adj
ministration are:
The preservation OF our common
school fund, including the lands set
apart for that purpose, and he im-
provcmeut OF our school system.
II Is known TO the country that,
prior 20 my nomination at Galveston,
/ severely criticized the practice of
paying forty per cent. premium for
our bonds, ana no amount of reasoning
or financial skill can satisfy me that
the practice IL iustifiqble, either in re-
firing our bonded Indebtedness, or rs
nh Investment for the school fund,
1t seems TO loo admitted by all that
the constitution should be 50 amended
rs to permit the legislature to levy and
collect school tax, without reference
To the amount Of the general revenue
that may be necessary.
Another amendment TO that in stru-
ment VIII be necessary with reference
to the school fund
The permanent fund belonging to
the common schools cnu only be inves
ted in hoads of the Federal agency and
of the state.
The United States are reflndug at
so low rate that their bonds are not
desirable for that purpose, and very
soon we hope the state will have nc
bonded debt outstanding, and we must
therefore seek some other mode of in.
vesting our permanent school fund,
Shall we guard, protect and increase
this fund AZ u sacred trust, or shall we
throw II away by paying forty per
cent. premium for an Investments
The university was early contem-
plated by those who have gone before.
No one one questions the usefulness or
prupriety of such an Institution, and
we suppose Il retrograde movement,
with reference 10 1t, Is not eonteni-
plated.
THE pgNIrESrIARY !--wHAr SHALL
BE DOM WITH OUR EoNVICrs2
1t would seem that experience has
taught us that there are but few "peni-
tentsn and but few reforms accom-
plished in that institution, and, there.
fore, that it Is probably mis- named
IL will be for the wisdom of the law
making power 10 prescribe the proper
management. do not doubt but
there are numbers sent to that institu,
ton Tor petty otlenses who should bs
punished in some other way; and tor
youths house OF correction or other
place OF confinement and punishment
should be devised | doubt the pro.
priety of sending any, no matter what
the aye, to the penitentiary Tor short
periods of time.
THE JUDICIARY.
Shall we amend our constitution 40
rs 10 enable us 10 have II Judiciary
equal 10 our demands, or shah We con-
tinue To multiply judges Of courts OF
las. fesorte A little reelection viii
satisfy all that the evil in the systcnl
Is radical, and we must begin the rem.
cdy in the trial courts.
TAXATION.
The earlier idea about occupation
tax was that it should be laid on those
occupations and pursuits that were "a
be discouraged; hut the modern prac-
tice appears To be 90 raise money, even
al the expense OF those most useful
and desirable. AS 10 an ad valoren
tax, there Is no lust power 10 take