The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-22
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

HOUbE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
House met at $50 a. M; Speaker
Gibson and quorum present.
Prayer by the chaplain, Rev. DIR.
Poindexter.
Messrs. Adams, of Wood, Cramer,
Rogers and McAlpine, were excused
Tor various good reasons for limited
time.
Bills, resolutions and petitions were
read and referred except as otherwise
stated, as follows:
From speakers desk: Petition on
prohibition.
By Mr.. Cochran: From citizens of
East Dallas, against being annexed to
the city of Dallas.
Mr.. AyreS: Resolution that the
speaker assign q committee clerk to
act as doorkeeper during the sickness
OF that officer, Gen. Darnell. Adopted.
Mr.. Graves: To amend the act to
regulate the appointment and duties
of notaries public, and require them
to use seals.
Mr.. Foster, of Limestone: Petition
against creating Richland county.
MIR. darkness, of FRO: To create
the new county of Pierce.
Mr.. Robertson, of Williamson: To
amend art. 1929, revised statutes.
COMMITTEE REPORTS.
Various committees sent up their
reports without reading.
Mr.. Hill, chairman of judiciary
committee No. 2, reported:
Favorably-Senate bill ISL, with
amendments, to punish for false
| swearing under quarantine laws.
| Hnnaa hill 209 dnoIar,nD xx,h4 oro
| fellow servants, and to make employ
ers responsible for gross negligence
and want of skill in employees.
House bill-Mr. Jones for commit
tee-to provide for issuance of writ
of possession when Judgment has
been rendered foreclosing lien on land.
House bill $3.50, providing for issu-
ance OF executions against one or
more defendants, when one or more
have died since rendition of judg-
ment.
Unfavorably: House bill 439, Great
ing lien on logs cut in favor Of per-
son furnishing laborers, supply, etc.
House bill 448, requiring county
commissioners courts to approve APP
pointments of deputy sheriff and dis
charge such deputies at pleasure.
Mr.. Brown moved to call up from
the speakers desk his resolution of
enquiry as to the work of the CON-
mittees, whether some of their clerks
can be dispensed with or not.
Mr.. Upton-It Is not reported yet.
The motion was withdrawn.
Mr.. Moursund called up the motion
to reconsider the vote by which the
house passed senate bill Ia, his object
being to consider 1t in committee OF
the whole. 1t refers to the university
and school funds.
Mr.. Mckinney agreed with Mr.
Moursund ss to the propriety of the
motion, as the matter involved the
appropriation of money.
Speaker-Shall the vote by which
the bill was passed to third reading
be reconsidered Carried.
| Speaker-Shall the bill pass2 Car
Mr.. Moursund moved to go intc
committee of the whole. Carried.
| Mr.. Moursund in the chair.
The bill being that to validate thu
debt of the state to the university anC
school funds, known as the debt o.
doubtful validity, after being con
sidered in committee of the whole
and reported to the house, was unde
further suspension of the rules finally
passed.
Concurrent resolution (Mr. La
tham's) requesting the general gov
eminent not to withdraw their troops
from the Rio Grande and Texa.
frontier, was passed.
BY Mr.. Thompson, of Bexar: Con
current resolution that the COMMITTEES
to visit the Alamo be requested Il
visit the grave of Ben Milan, in tn,
city of San Antonio. and report upoI
its condition, with view to its pro
lection from being trodden under
foot. The resolution was adopted.
Resolution granting leave of alb
judicial district, passed TO engross
ment.
| REGULAR ORDER
Substitute for house Joint resolu
tions No. 6, s and q, to amend section
8, article 8, of the constitution, rela
tive to rate of taxation on property
exclusive of the tax necessary to pay
the public debt, was next considered
and after discussion of an amend
ment proposed by Mr.. Stout, was post
poned.
The next regular order was: Sub
stitute for house joint resolutions
Nos. 4, 10, IL and Is, to amend section
| 3, article Z of the constitution, pro-
viding for an annual tax on property
in this state, making the ad valorem
tax twenty-five cents on each 800, the
poll tax 81 on persons between twenty
one and sixty years Of age. and set
ting apart each year one-fourth of the
occupation tax for the benefit of fret
public schools; and further provid
ing for a severance of the schoo
from the state tax, and that the
legislature shall provide for thu
establishment of convenient schoo
districts in the counties of this state
and when the citizens Of any school
districts, authorized by law to levy
and collect tax for the support anC
maintenance of public school, such
tax may hereafter be levied and col
lected, if at an election held for thai
purpose two-thirds of the property
taxpayers of said school interest shall
vote for such tax not to exceed
twenty-five cents on each 800 value
thereof in any one year. The amend
ment to be submitted to vote of the
people the second Tuesday la August
| 1888,
Mr.. Dennis offered an amendment
10 strike out twenty-five ctnts and
insert twelve and one-half cents.
Mr.. Dennis said his object was tc
meet the public demand with some
thing that the neorle I'O1ld scnctiou
III their votes. He read the following
estimates, deduced from figures of the
comptroller's Office:
Ad valorem tax for 1893 on
S4lO,OOO, 900 at l21<c .... S512. 800 o.
One-fourth occupation tax. 1871 500 OK
Estimated school poll tax. 100000 Ok
| sso4.OO0 o.
Add interest on permanent
school fund ............. 2sO.e7s OK
From sale public land (uotes). 80 900 OK
Investment OF principal OF
school lands. -. ...,.. 10000 "
One-iourth receipts from re-
demptions .......... 1880 OF
One-iourth once fses. .:...;. 300 O(
One-fourth collected on insol-
vent list. .............. $500 0C
Total at our command by
my amendment. d .20l 67b 90
Available fund for 1889 WAS
only. -.,.................... ,Ood,O00 co
Excess In 1852 IL in our favor
Dg...........-..-.. 40 SO 90
Add 10 this the interest on sales of
publ. school LANDS, which, if placed
, on the market at fair value, viii. in
less than two years. give US an ample
4. 4 - u a 4