The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-03-01
LETTER FROM AUSTIN.
THE NEW PENITENTIARY BILLS,
Pharmacy Also Receiving Attention-Mr
Bieunts Bill-The school Text
Book Matter One of the Alb
sorbing Topics, Etc.

AUSTIN, Feb. G-[Special Correspond
ence. The land bill still absorbs the
attention of the house, but tho debate
will probably be wound up to- sy,
From the number of bills on the calen-
dar, and some OF them very irportant,
tie penitentiary bill for instaEce.
This bill will be most
THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED,
becsu SO of the MIDDLE into which the !
affairs of the two prisons have gotten.
Mr.. Upton has already prepared bill /
looking to iurnishing the granite quar-
Ties III Burnet county 40G couvicts for |
getting out stone for tho now capt.
toll This bill is an enter
ing wedge. for two things; first,
the adoption OF the chocolate
capitol, which the owners of the quar-
ries donate to the state, and for what
ever action the psnitentiary committee
raay decide to tender TO the legislature
as the proper thing for the state to do.
kR. HAYNES,
the able young member End brilliant
orator from Washington county, and no
as chairman ofthe penitentiary commit
tee, is preparing the bill. He is going
slowly, giving it much thought, consid-
Grafton, and even research, aud it will
no doubt meet with the favor of both
houses.
Another important bill is that regu-
lating the practice of pharmacy in the
state.
There is little incident or history.
perhaps, you might call it, connected
with this bill, in the action of the com
mittee, which does a most worthy, val
liable, able, industrious and useful
member great injustice.
DIR, BLOUNT,
Of Van Iandt, prepared a pharmacy
bill, being not only practiciug physi-
clan, but practical pharmacist as well,
being now engaged in the business. In
his bill he had left out one word in one
section, and the committee desired TO
change the verbiage 0fanother sentence,
which, when done, in no wise altered
the sense, meaning, features or force
Of the bill; still the com.
nittee, taking DR.. Blount's bill In
an entirety, save these minor cOrrec-
lions mentioned, reported il back favor
ably as the eommi.Vee's substitute bill.
In fact it is Dr. Blounps bill Every
idea, conception, suggestion and pro-
vision, it Is his, yet ne is deprived OF
whatever merit should justly belong to
the bill by the committee calling it the
committees substitute bill.
Some committees viii not do this, and
notably The committee on educational
affairs. have never known gentle
man moro guardiul Of the rights of au-
thors OF bills, more determined in his
efforts, when the committee does alter
or change a iii referred to it, to sec
that the author has the credit as far rs
possible for his conceptions and efforts
than
MIR. II. c. POSTER,
Of GraysOu, the able, energetic, pains.
taking chairman Of this committee. He
has a ready knack, not ouly OF presid-
ing over an important committee, bat OF
eXOediiing business, of seeing on the
instant the merits and defects OF bill
and OF suggesting la his cver-cOurleou
and pleasant way just where lyerations
and how, il needed, should be made.
THE SCHOOL TEXT hook
bill is still ON the calendar in the house
1t should Of right have been taken VI
whe1 the land bill was, but az the land
bill was considered of such vast magni
tude, it was on motion postponed unit
after the consideration of the land bill.
Three, may say four, points are be
ing considered, by members of the leg
islature, in connection with this tex
book question. Some favor the bill a.
1t now stands, or virtually so; that is
for the state to adopt series of book
by three, four five or six different au
thors, on spelling, reading, writing
arithmetic, geography, grammar an,
history OF the United States, from whicl
list the counties can choose either serte
they please, or mix them even If the.
desire. Another portion of the mem
bers want the state TO have nothing {
say whatsoever In the matter
leaving it to each county whethe
it no In the community o
the district system. Another porto
want IL left TO each school district o
community to adopt its own books, AM
still another think the time Is inoppol
tune, is too soon for legislation of an
kind on this subject. I believe the las
named
is RIGHT,
We must, some limos, go slowly {
make haste, aud l think this is one d
the times. Two years hence, the TWEEN
tieth legislature will be limo en6G..h 70
consideration of this question. IN
least objectionable of the proposed plan
Is that of Che adoption of text books b.
school IS,IjCts or communities. Lett
rcadCrtrke our school system in its pres
ent complicated form, the commuuit
system Obtaining in some cnuntioq, IN
district system in some counties, III
corpOruted cities and towns In grea
many instances hUYng assumed cor
troll of INC public iree schools With
their limits aud levied taxes ia sugmer
tatiOn Of the money received from ia
state, etc, and cousile Ter 10, aud he WI
see at a glance that the best wa v {
work the text book question, h. let
como from The people, from the parent
and guardians of the Chldrou CirCo
They have to pay out tho money, HAY
the books 90 buy and why should On
state be an intermediary between thei
and tho makers and publishers d
books? Should the state ad0I
tho kind and make OF turf
ing p,uwa, of scrapers,
cultivatuIs, of re8pevS and mowers, oil
rakcs, the agricultural uses? Should
say whose seed, what sort OF seed an
how much acreage he should use II
eachT Should the state say to tho DIR
goods merchant you must use Spragu
prints, or 20 the grocery man yOH ma.
sell only WmtuhCrs ham? The purit
is the s8mo. lho right assumed ON u
part of the state, what books shall /
taught in the res schools, carries vii
the right 20 SAY the bible shall or sha
not be read In the free schools, the u
rent or guardian shall send his childre
or wards to school Tor so many days
the week, 80 many weeks In the mOutl
so many months I'm the year, ~
Democracy teaches us the state has n
4 right, no power no prerogatiVe To ,
either. XIII tho bill then, | say, al
u when this, that, or the other series
textbooks are chosen, let the people
each school community or school distri
say what books shall 10 chosen.
-s
u a Michigan boy ate bar of sog
drank lot ui soda water and went