The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-04-19
LEGISLATIVE WORK.

legislature Is SUMMED up IL cdH De |
trutufully stated that it has in its
good works exceeded public expecta-
ton. Both senate and house have |
been Woodworking bodies, and, with
out rudder, they have struggled
against many difficulties, and over
coming formidable ones, the legisla-
ture has really accomplished what
ought to satisfy the people. Some very
serious blunders were committed by
past legislatures in relation to public
lands. These have been mainly
corrected, and much valuable domain
has been reclaimed, that was regarded
as lost, without corresponding benefits
to the state. 1t is estimated that in
the neighborhUod of four millions
acres of the public domain, set apart
for debt payment at fifty cents an
acre, has been saved, and that in this
item alone the state saves over seven
millions of dollars. The four million
acres of land was on the market
at fifty cents an acre, and the
revenue derivable under the sale
would have been two million, five
hundred thousand dollars. With the
price of land fixed now at two dollars
per acre, the state gains the difference
between two million five hundred
thousand and ten million dollars. Of
these lands the university has been
given one million acres and the public
free schools like amount, represent
ing at present valuation two million
dollars for the university and the
same sum for the free schools.
The valuable timbered lands of the
state are to be watched with Jealous
care, and. while much of these hands
passed away from the state under the
old law, enough remains to tell hand
somely in swelling in time the school
fund of the state. The provision for
deriving a revenue from the mineral
lands, belonging to the state and to
the several endowment funds, is a
wise conclusion to question that
has been agitated for years. I'm
der this law it may be expected
the mineral resources of the state will
be rapidly developed. The long de-
ferred return to the university fund
of moneys taken from it years ago
was just act, and by it impetus is to
be given to the early successful es-
tablishment Of university, which
must before long be the pride OF
every Texan. Not only must this
noble act be chronicled of the
eighteenth legislature, but its bounty
in lands, donated to. the cause
of higher as well as lower education
gives it honorable distinction in
in the legislative annals of Texas
Such matters are of statewide impor.
lance, but these are by no means al
of such Importance. The acts will
speak for themselves, and the labors
performed, both of a general and 6
special character, will compare in i'm.
portance with any Texas legislature
and even snrpass all, when it is borne
in mind that everything done was
purely of legislative conception. il
did not abolish the jury
system, nor did it pass "a law that any.
body in the state shall be inoculated
nolens volens, with all the diseases
that man is heir to; but it did rally
nobly in the cause of humanity, and
Lifted the state out of most despic-
able position, in which it was placed
many years ago under radical SUI
premacy. The one act of abolishine
penal servitude in Texas, of stopping
this disgraceful sale of convicts t.
individuals, is worth more to Texa:
than the price of twenty legislatures
Already the papers Of other state:
TEEN with praises of people who adj
vance upon the moral plane as dc
Texans, and the high opinions enter
tanned abroad of a noble people who
can thus cast aside. inhumanities
when other states hesitate, will tel
in favor of Texas to the extent OF
millions. The eighteenth legislature
has done well, and the praise belong;
to it alone, for, unaided by the usua
surroundings, it has accomplished al
that has been done.