The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-04-12
Continued From First Page.l
Seventy-fourth Days Proceedings.
SENATE.

AUSTIN. April 6. 1888.
The senate met at 10 o'clock a. m,
Lieut.. Gov. Martin presiding and a |
quorum present.
Prayer was offered by the chaplain,
Rev. DR.. Smoot.
Reading of the journal was dis
penSed with.
PETITIONS.
Asking appropriation for services
of veterans.
REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES. |
State Affairs.-The committee rec
ommend that the bill ceding jurisdic-
ton to general government over
premises upon which to build post
office and court house at Dallas, be
passed over the governors veto.
Mr.. Davis introduced bill to give
Austin four months term of supreme
court and Tyler two months term.
Mr.. Shannon: Concurrent resolu-
ton fixing final adjournment at Fri
d ny. April 10.
Mr.. Matlock: Substitute, fixing
day at Thursday, April II. Substi-
tute rejected, and Shannon's PROPOSE
ton adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Harris senate
concurred in house amendments to
senate bill re-districting judicial dis
tricts.
Mr.. Patton, for committee on state
affairs, presented adverse report on
house bill granting encouragement
enlarged powers, viz: TO bring and
control suits against delinquent tax
collectors. The committee say this
duty and power is conferred in con-
Stitution upon county attorneys.
Mr.. johnson of Collin, called up
house bill to provide for investigat-
ing alleged land frauds in sales of so
cent lands, and authorize suits to can
Gel sales, and investigate general land
office and surveyors Office.
Dilatory action began, but the issue
was only delayed by speeches.
Mr.. GOoch considered notwithstand-
ing the limitation in the law as to the
amount of land one person could pur-
chase, the policy had been to effect
large sales.
Mr.. Fleming talked at great length
in defense of any fraud in the pur-
chase of lands in his district, and
after the completion of his speech the
senate adjurned to meet at 3 p. IN.
The resolution to submit prohi-
bition constitution and resolution
is vote of the people.
Senator Gibbs offered the following
as his reasons for voting on the pro-
hibitiOn resolution:
1. As'long as the manufacture and
sale of intoxicating liquors is permit
ted by and made source of revenue
to the United States government, and
that government continues to issue
licenses to sell in prohibitory states,
the enactment of such a provision
would destroy the harmony which
should exist between the general
government and the state govern
mentS, and its effective enforcement
would be impracticable, if not impoS-
sible, under these circumstances.
2. The resolution provides for an
absolute, immediate and total prohi-
bition and destruction of a social evil
which has grown with and been
legalized by the civilization of years,
and no law can be successfully en-
forced which requires so radical and
sudden a change in the social habits
of so large a number of people.
3. In proportion to the number Of
qualified voters in Texas, the people
have manifested no great disposition
to have the question submitted at this
time, and the recent elections in
counties which have tried prohibition
indicate that the people are opposed
to it.
4. BY this amendment it is proposed
to deprive a large portion of what
they regard as personal right and
privilege, and the excitement neces-
sarily incident to a vote on this
amendment, at the time proposed.
would jeopardize the fate of the
school and other important constitu-
tional amendments, which should be
adopted or rejected, as the deliberate
judgment of the people may deter
mine.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Pending, substitution OF the COM
mittee substitute.
Mr.. Farrar stated that he had Jared
largely in the preparation of the COM
mittee substitute. He thought the
bill not perfect, but the sub-commit-
tee had prepared as conservative a
| bill as they could. He thought the
objects and purposes of the bill had
been largely Inexperienced. AmC ng
them, the provision fixing the venue
| of all the land fraud suits at Austin.
| He thought the provisions of the
house bill fixing the venue at the
place where the frauds had been COM
mitted. rendered it impossible for
the state to succeed in suits
of that character. He thought
therefore, the bill in this particular is
not obnoxious to the objections urged
| against it. He called attention to the
law locating the venue of suits of
this character begun on behalf of the
state, which fixes it at the seat OF
| government.
Mr.. Gooch said: object to the
passage of this bill! for the reason that
| it LAYS the venue for the suits in the
county of Travis, and will bring citi-
ZenS from every quarter of the state,
whether rich or poor, to refer their
suits here, when the general policy of
the state is and has always properly
| been to permit citizens to besued only
in their own county, or helocality OF
his residence. Another serious Objec-
ton is, and the only other that have,
that it is proposed to declare fraud
ulent the act of requiSition of more
than seven sections of pasture lands;
notwithstanding we have had forty
million acres of land which either was
or might have been dedicated to pub
lie schools for forty years. Until the
passage of this law, which now was
much complained of, the schools re-
ceived no benefit from it.
| Within the past forty years, under
this law, the principal of the school
fund has been increased four millions
of dollars. At eight per cent interest
thereon furnishes to the valuable
school fund about $685., 900 per an
mum, or about $1.25 per capita. This
bill proposes to cancel very large
proportion, and it is asserted about
one-half of those sales, decreasing the
permanent fund about 100000 and
the interest one-half that amount.
These lands have brought their fair
market values and has induced the lOca-
ton of property on them, of various
kinds, which have increased the reve-
nue. of the sections of the state in
which the lands so disposed of are stu
ated, about $20,000.O00.
am in favor of utilizing these
amounts for the present generation;
and not keeping them perpetually,
without benefit to the school children
of this state, and of relieving tax
payers who have to pay tax for a
good system of education, unless we
permit these lands to be sold and sus-
tain the titles when capital is invested
in them.
The committee substitute was