The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-01-15

dition of the people has had no parallel
for many years. The chief causes of
this condition are three in number.
While the state has had no direct
agency in bringing ABOUT the situation,
and although she cannot under the
constitution, do anything beyond pre-
cept and example to remedy it, still a
BRIEF recital of the causes viii not be
amiss:
l. The entire amount of monsy in the
United States is about fourtesn hun
dred and eight millions of dollars.
When we consider the fact that nearly
one-thlrd of this sum has been taken
from the people by their age nts, in the
shape of taxes, absolutely locked up
and Withdrawn from circulation, can
we wonder that money is scarce and
the country oppressed?
4, For the last fifteen years the build
ing. Of railways has progressed al a
rapid rate. Most of these roads have
bsen built with foreign capital. The
daily drain on the money of the coua-
try, gathered up by these roads and
shipped to other countries, to pay in
terest on the borrowed capital, makes il
another great factor in producing the
present condition of money matters.
j. And the last of these great causes
is the rapid and unparalleled accumuln-
ton Of vast fortunes in the hands OF a
few persons, aided in various WAYS bN
favoritisms by governments.
The present conditions cannot be
traced to natural causes. The ground
has produced an abundance; But the
abundant staples that should have re-
wsrded the husbandmen munifeently,
is worthless for want OF money.
When the present executive took the
oath of office, he declared that there
WAS no justification for the people's
agents eXacting of them more money
than was absolutely required to carry
on the affairs of government in an eco
nomical manner. There was then to
the credit of the general revenue about
100000. AT the end of the year ending
February %, 1888, there was about $500, :
600. The eighteenth legislature maid de-
ticiences created by former administra-
ton to about 100000; enlarged and re.
| fitted the deaf and dumb, blind and In.
natic asylums; erected the north Texas
lunatic asylum, at cost of 100000
paid large debts due the free schools and
university; and reduced taxation fol-
general purposes from 221I to 171S cents
| on the 500.
The common school funds have beer
invested in good interest t-bearing bonds
the university funds have also been in
vested, and there is yet ample money il
the treasury for general present pur
poses. In the treasury there are spe
cial funds, amounting to several hun
dred thousand dollars, lying idle tha
should be unlocked in some way.
The sources from which we can deTiv,
revenue are:
| Ad yalorem tax on s603 900 900 nj I7iL
ceuts 81 ,O55 ,25
Estimat,nd poll tAx....,............. l55,00
Occupation "a 80. .,.'..,..,....." l76,cG
Office fees and receipts .............. l5l,0C
Special tax to comrfsSoller s0,oC
Other sources. .......-....k ''''''''''' zo,VV
Total. .......................'.-- - i9,2s5,25
The total estimated losses and--sScSS
penses to be deducted from the above
| as shown by the comptroller's report
aggregates the sum of 81, zoo, ,lS4.2A
1t Is believed that this amount can bt
greatly reduced by the adoption Of the
suggestions Of retrenchment and reform
herein mentioned, as well 40 othe
methods that may be adopted.
The appropriation heretofore mad,
for the sinking fund can be omitted.
has not been set aside by the colnptrolle
and treasurer, under tllu last appropria
0XecuIlN
believed it wholly useless,
When we are anxious toget our bonds
and cannot procure them, except at 81
enormous premium, it would seer
folly to set aside sinking fund to tax
them up at maturity.
believe it to be our duty TO use tn
greatest economy possible, with du
regard to an efficient public service. |
upon thorough Investigation, there b
found desks or employees that can b
dispensed with, without detriment (
the public service, let them be omitte
from the appropriation bill. II useles
bureaus are in existence let them be Gu
off. II it is found that higher salarie
are paid than are necessary let them b
, reduced.
Should we need more money for eS
: traordinary purposes than will be dc
rived from the general revenue source,
1t will be our our duty to use the specii
funds in the treasury. OF the sewers
, hundred thousand dollars that hay
+ been there for years, not on
/. cent of revenue has been derive
therefrom. 1t is withdrawn from tn
, people, and we are taxing them to sui
, serve the very purpose for which tn
money has been collected. If we use
at u reasonable interest, the intere
goes to the support of our own institl
: tions, and nos TO foreign banker
! Bonds for this purpose can be placed
the treasury, payable at the pleasure
the state. If we borrow from aboad, u
: bonds must run for many years, or v
Q could not borrow at all, and when v
o want the bonds back we have to pay
Il heavy premium. l am unalterably o
s posed to this method, and recommeI
that we borrow these special funds, If v
Q need the money.
= = sHRRIFFs' AND CLERKS FERs.
| have no doubt of the proprietY
having all such fees and costs paid
the counties where they are created.
y No good reason can be shown for sen
u ing asheriffor clerk to the treasury OF h
\ state to get fees paid that have be,
' earned in the counties, simply becau
!, the case 10 called q felony case, II
y Judge is often overworked. He fee
that 1t is not exactly part Of the du
q OF judge TO be examining bills
y costs. No one In tho count
y feels particularly interested, and hon
y often exorbitant bills are presented al
paid at the treasury. These cost bill
should be passed upon by the commi
J, sioners' courts, or the judge, If thougl
better, and then paid by the counti
!, = where created The taxpayer, u
y y court and all concerned would then ha,
y q chance to detect errors or over-charge
;, and commissions and other o
= penses attending this collection at Il
capital would be avoided. The reason
. here urged In the cases named app
equally 10 pay OF attached witnesse
: 1'he money comes out of the people
all events. There seems to be a stran,
inconsistency in allowing the count,
to co llect and use all moneys arisir
: from forfeited bail bonds and recogr
; zsnces, and then TO require the treasuI
of the ~ 'ate TO pay the costs incurred /
the mait, branch of the same case.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
Both the Sam Houston and Prair
View norn lsl schools are in very iiou
ishing and satisfactory condition. The
schools arp maintained by the state.
is submitted whether it Is not enoug
for tho stat.N to furnish the bull
ings, libra, -ies, apparatus al
teachers for these schools,