The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1885-01-22

the treasury for general present pur-
poses. In the treasury there are spe-
cial funds, amounting To several hum
dred thousand dollars, lying idle that
should he unlocked in some way.
The sources from which we can derive
revenue are:
cents - Si,O55, go
Estimated poll tax ..........,.....,. l6j,UtO
Occupation tax ..,,.r,.,.....,,.,,,.. II5,tUO
Otllcc fees ana receipts .,,,..r..,.,., l6O,UUO
special tax Ia comptroller.... .,, SO,WO
Other sources ....'.............. ...... 10000
Total Observation-Disclosures. $685. go
The total estimated losses and eX-
penses to be deducted from the above,
as shown by the comptroller's report,
aggregates the sum of S2,2O6, lSl20.
1t is believed that this amount can be
greatly reduced by the adoption of the
suggestions of retrenchment and reform
herein mentioned, as well as other
methods that may be adopted.
The appropriation heretofore made
for the sinking fund can be omitted. 1t
has not been set aside by the comptroller
and treasurer, under the last apprOpria-
ton, because they and the executive
believed it wholly useless.
When we are anxious to get our bonds,
and cannot procure them, except at an
enormous premium, IL would seem
folly TO set aside sinking fund to take
them up at maturity.
believe it to be our duty to use the
greatest economy possible, with due
regard to an efficient public service. If,
upon thorough investigation, there be
found desks or employees that can be
dispensed with, without detriment to
the public service, let them be omitted
from the appropriation bill. If useless
bureaus are in existence let them be cut
off. If it is found that higher salaries
are paid than are necessary let them be
reduced.
Should we need more money for ex-
traordinary purposes than will be de-
rived from the general revenue sources,
it will be our our duty to use the special
funds in the treasury. OF the several
hundred thousand dollars that have
been there for years, not one
cent of revenue has been derived
therefrom. 1t is withdrawn from the
people, and we are taxing them to sub
serve the very purpose for which this
money has been collected. If we use it
at reasonable interest, the interest
goes to the support of our own institu-
lions, and not to foreign bankers.
Bonds for this purpose can be placed in
the treasury, payable at the pleasure of
the state. If we borrow from aboad, the
bonds must run for many years, or we
could not borrow at all, and when we
want the bonds back we have to pay a
heavy premium. l am unalterably OPP
posed to this method, and recommend
that we borrow these special funds, If we
need the money.
sHERIFFs' AND CLERKS FEES.
/ have no doubt of the propriety of
having all such fees and costs paid in
the counties where they are ca Gated.
No good reason can be shown for send
ing sheriff or clerk to the treasury of the
state to get fees paid that have been
earned in the counties, simply because
the case is called felony case. The
Judge. is often overworked.e ne feels
that it is not exactly part of the duty
OF judge 20 be examining bills of
costs. No one IN the county
feels particularly interested, and hence
often exorbitaut bills are presented ana
paid at the treasury. These cost bills
should be passed upon by the commits
sioners' courts, or the judge, If thought
better, and then paid by the counties
where created. The taxpayer, the
court and all concerned would then have
chance to detect errors or over-charges,
and commissions and other eX-
penses attending this collection at the
capital would he avoided. The reasons
here urged in the cases named apply
equally to pay Of attached witnesses.
| The money comes out of The people at
all events. There seems to be strange
inconsistency in allowing the counties
to collect and use all moneys arising
from forfeited bail bonds and recogni-
zances, and then to require the treasury
of the state to pay the costs incurred In
the main branch of the same case.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
| Both the Sam Houston and Prairie
| View normal schools are in very flour
ishihg and satisfactory condition. These
schools are maintained by the state. 1t
| is submitted whether it is not enough
for the state to furnish the builf.
e egsb libraries or these sppaF ssas and
in the free schools. 1t You'd seem quite
Observation-Disclosures, who are in
all cases grown men and women, to pro-
vide theirown board. The state does
not e'Nn take the orphan child and IN
dftake it's entire care and raising, or
hoard, and there appears no good reason
for paying the board of young men and
women who are receiving professional
training free.
AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COL
LEGE.
This school has been greatly improved
in all its departments. The mechanical
department is on much larger and
better scale than formerly; and so Is the
agricultural. The property is in charge
of Gen. w. p. Eardeman, and the fac
ulty has nothing to do with the outside
management, as formerly.
The last legislature made no appro-
priation to support the college, and the
students are paying their way. me
lent faculty. Its military department is
under the management of Lieutenant
Mallory, of the United States army.
The farm has been enlarged and re-
stocked with suitable number of cows
and mules.
The only stock on the premises, when
the college came into the hands of the
present management, OF the bovine
species, was one bull, and the increase
derived to the institution was not per-
ceptible.
q part of the university, and whatever
funds will be needed to carry 1t on, 1t
seems, should be appropriated out OF the
available university fund.
THE UNIVERSITY.
This institution has been in operation
nearly two years, and the present 6x-
ecutive has left its management en-
tirely with the board of regents. In the
appointment of new members of the
board, he has been controlled by:
First-A desire to conform to the law,
which required the regents to be taken
from different parts of the state.
Second-A uesire to have the board
non-partisau, if possible; and
Third-Fitness for the position.
And these considerations in the IN
verse order here named.
Section OF the act of 1881, the tenure
of Office of the regents extends one class
to eight years. By reference to section
10, .ariicle is, of the constitution, II will
be seen that the tenure of all officers,
whose terms are not nxeo