The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-04-18
rHE E,GnrEENrH LEGISLATURE.

I AhI@ nun IEENin LGtl.l@All nEs
The legislative body whose labors have
just drawn to close, was perhaps one o
the best assemblies of its kind that has ev-
er done work at the capital. 1t was com
posed mainly Of raw material, so tar as &C
tual legislative experience was concerned,
there having been only II of the old men,
beers in the house out of LOG, and but 6 in
the senate out of 81 members. The conse-
quence was, that in the early portion 81 the
session, and during the regular term of 90
days, there was but little of effective work
done, particularly in the house. But all
this was amply compensated for by the
achievements of the last three weeks
when all hands seemed to buckle down to
business and efficient service, even to the
exceeding of public expectation at the out
set. The Journal Of proceedings will doubt
less record the largest volume of work dol
by any Legislative sitting in the state, and
We may say on the whole really good work.
The members are therefore 10 be oongratu
lated us well as the state for the measures
BhsStu us NONtIuOI iItluilu SAUL anu DdI
ticularly for the providing for an additional
lunatic asylum and the improvement OF the
one now in operation, by which the unfor
tunate lunatics of the state will be cared for.
For withdrawing the school and asylum
lands from the market and devising sys-
TEN by which something may be realized
for said lands. the permanent school and
university fund being thus materially aug.
mented. and the state enabled to educate
the children without heavy burden being
laid upon the people. BY submitting an
amendment to the constitution allowing
separate school tax to be levied, we may be
enabled to aid our educational enterprise
without an unnecessary accumulation of
money in the treasury. BY the passage of
The railroad bill, the people will be enabled
to observe It's workings and Improve upon a
most difficult task through subsequent leg
islation. BY the act to protect the wool.
growing interest of western Texas, a great
enterprise is aided and encouraged. by
the act recognizing the judicial districts,
WV hiopSolibh VI buslliNco III Iht NbulAN
will be greatly facilitated. The act to IA
cilitate the collections OF claims from the
general government on account of monies
expended in frontier defense will enable
recovered long since. The act to provide
for the settlement of claims OF
school teachers is an act of
justice that has been long delayed
ing subjects, but perhaps the most import
ant bill passed was that whereby the state
of Texas resumed control OF her peniten-
tiaries and set the seal of disapproba.
tioa upon the horrible leasing system,
which, on general principles and but too
often in actual practice, is disgrace to the
enlightenment OF the age in which we live
The railroad bill, though it may not be
fully up in its requirements to the public
camor, Is step in the right direction, and
was about the only one that could
possibly have been passed. For
the next two years we can,
above observed, watch its WORKING
and effects and can improve upon it
AS vlgilant experience shall dictate. 1t is
a law which largely helps the traveller and
the shipper, and which will have no dele
ferrous effects upon the capitalist with ex-
istlng or prospective investments here. The
return of the $l3i 900 to the University
and the donation OF an additional 900, 600
acres OF land to that cause, was but Just in
the former instance ana properly generous
in the latter. The mineral law is especially
wise in the interests of the state owning
lands and to the several endowment funds,
And 50 with the land bill, the school tax
bill, the constitutional amendments bill,
etc The 18th legislature did well its work
and time will demonstrate the wisdom of
the course pursued OF course some per
sons are disappointed in not having gotten
through certain pet schemes OF their own
or with some bills as finally passed in the
face OF condensation, but the l5o which have
become laws will long remain as a solid
monument to the praise of the member
ship at large. The HERALD in this con.
nection cannot refrain from u pardonable
pride that the leading legislation
finally attained is in accord with that out.
lined by it prior to the assembling and
urged in the very commencement of the
session.