The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-04-02
GONE, BUT NEVER TO BE FOR
GOTTEN

)rief words, conveys a sense Oh Ihe
public estimate of the Nineteenth
Brag and buster sig
lalized the early deliberations of this
body, while such conduct
was naturally followed, in course OF
line, by buncomb and brutality.
was an unshown quail
ty, and though there may have
been some legislative ability pos
sessed by a few, their purposes
were made subservent to the reign of
ignorance and incompetence and frauds |
which marked the course OF the Leg
islature at every stage OF its existence.
The ignorant and impracticable took
possession of the floor of both houses,
and every hour of elaboration, If 1t
may be so designated, was signallzed
by the blatant annunciationS Of bare |
faced public frauds, of pretended put
lie sponsors couch6d in the language
of deception and falsehood.
Tarned into a school Tor
the practice of the lowest arts OF
the demagogue and the public deceiv-
or, there were from day to day visible
efforts made at legislation, carefully
planned by cliques and wings and
factions, one often struggling against
the other in questionable purposes.
1t is known that bills were introduce
ed and strongly supported in one
house for demagoguical purposes, be
cause 1t was known and fixed, that in
the other the same bills stood no show
of adoption. Bills were thus
passed IN one house, that they
might be rejected in the other; and it
was often said, with the strongest
show of reason, that measures were
thus presented and pushed with vigor'
that certain members might win
stakes on their games of bluff. The
bill regarding gambling, and one or
two othe' similar bills, bore about
them a scent of defilement, which
could only be accounted for by tricks
for which the Heather Chinee
has become famous. The cover
was partially removed from one
dirty scheme of this nature, but the
stencil that escaped bore evidences of
spreading contamination, and with
the firing" of two clerks the investi-
CATION was ended-the cover was re-
set, and the rising stencil from filthy
carcass was stifed. While such small
and ignominous maneuvers were con-
Stunning the time of the session, mat
tiers of great public import were
being neglected, and at last, in the
expiring hours of this body, a few of
the important measures were hastily
thrown together in the shape of
crude legislation, some of it
bearing the impress even of job
berry. Had it not been for the right
eous indignation Of the Comptroller,
finding public expression a few days
in advance of the end of the session,
it is even possible that the body
would have dissolved without adopt
ing revenue bill or land bill, both of
which were imperative. The profit
gacy of the present State adninistra-
ton has made increased taxation nee
essary, and after two years of unend-
ing deception as to the uses of public
moneys the Comptroller's letter laid
the revenue situation so bare as to nc
longer admit of Misrepresentation. land
the tax was increased for revenue and
school purposes to 371a on the hun
bred dollars of valuation. Had the
Legislature of 1883 been urged tt
economy by an Executive ready to en-
force retrenchment and reform, anC
had the Legislature just adjourned
been similarly led by wise admins
| trative head. the record OF this body
might have been cleaner, while tax
alton might have remained where tn
previous administration saw tit to safe
ly place it. The land bill passed il. tn
last hours of the session, weighe'
down by measure of jobbery, b.
which it is intended, every section
of yatered land SET apart for educa
ton will be taken up by pretende'
actual settlers at two dollars per acrt
when honest settlers have alread
been paying from three to eight dol
lars per acre for such lands. This is
measure, 10y which, when it receive
The approval of the Governor, tn
children of Texas are to be cheatel
out of millions of dollars. Jot
berry seemed to control ..
most every legislative propos
ton, and it is a notable fact, that tn
plain proposition of collecting none
for frontier defense from the Feders
Government was taken from tn
states financial officer, the Comp
troller, and placed in the hands of
special agent, not only salaried, bu
empowered to bleed the state of PEI
centage of its returns on such colleC
tion-a gift, no doubt, intended fo
some one who will, IN consequence
enter actively as a worke
into the United States SENATOR'S
contest. But there is some diversity {
opinion as to the status of the Nine
teenth Legislature, some contendin
that it was the plant agent of th
,, administration, others that it was ii
self inately weak. THE STATEsMA
accepts the latter proposition as tru
aud being weak within itself, it readil
lent itself to weakness. But above a
its acts were tinctured with insiI
certify. The people have been deceived
they have been trifled with in the da
of their dire distress; their money hs
been directed into useless channel
, they have been compelled to keep up
!, State armed force in times of peac
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