The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-12-30
GOVERNMENTAL.
What is Going On in the De-
partments.
An Epitome of What Was
Learned at the Capitol
Yesterday.
STATE DEPARTMENT.

,, IOlOWlnS eXJracts nave Doon Suilou liOn
f it's pages
The receipts of the Office for the past
: two years, we're $60,501.59.
For the two years, twenty four railroad
t charters we're filed with an aggregate cap
s ital stock on paper, of $32,32O,O0O. There
were 552 miscellaneous charters filed.
One hundred and fifty-fYe extraditior
warrants for the arrest and return OF
3 fugitives we're issued, and three hundred
9 and seventy-fve registrations were made
upon other states.
ELECTION RETURNS.
The returning officers have been unus-
ualy prompt this year, and l am, there
3 fore, enabled to present herewith the
most complete returns ever before collated
in so short time after the election.
suggest the following amendments to
the election laws:
l. Amend Article 1885, so as to provide
for the commencing of the count before
the polls close.
9. Amend Article 1710, so as to fix the
fourth Monday next after the election as
the time to count the vote for state and
district officers.
8. Amend Article 171S, so as to provide
that the county judge shall forward re-
turns to the secretary of state as soon as
the result of the election has been made
known, showing who were elected, to what
Office elected, and the postoffice of each
person elected. That at the expiration
of twenty days he shall then send GER
tificate showing what officers have qnall-
fed.
There seems to be no good reason why
the people of Texas should not be able to
learn who is elected to a county office by
the time they learn who is elected gov
ernor of an eastern state, yet we often
know who has been elected in other states
before the ballots are counted in some of
our election precincts. This could be
easily obviated by allowing the count to
begin after certain fixed hoar, or after
a certain number of ballots have been de-
posted. Besides, it is great imposition
to require election officers to work con-
tinuously for twenty four hours or more;
nor is this economy. Double the force
and the expense will not be increased,
but the work of four men for twenty four
hours will be accomplished by eight men
in twelve hours. The time for counting
the vote for state and district officers is
too far from the election day. The fourth
Monday after election has been the day
fixed for the counting of the vote for
electors for president and vice-president,
and would be suitable time to count the
vote for state and district officers.
County judges frequently neglect send
ing certificate of the officers elect. This
| year | have had to print this report with
out any report from one of the Oldest and
most populous counties in the state, al
though blanks for returns have been re-
peatedly furnished the county judge, and
the city in which he lives is in direct daily
communication with the capital. This is,
however, an exceptional case, for most of
the county judges responded promptly,
though some of their returns are incom-
plete. Twenty days after election would
be ample time for all officers to qualify,
and 1 also further suggest that il might
be we'll to fix certain day upon which all
should qualify. There is now great lack
of uniformity. Some county judges quail
fly at once, and the old ones go out of Of
flee before any returns are made to this
department, and confusion often results
therefrom.
TEXAS REPORTS.
Within the past four years, and since
operation of the acts of the legislature
approved May 8, A. d. 1882, this depart
ment has received from the reporters of
the supreme court and court of appeals
the following volumes: 81, So, SO, 60, 81,
62, 60 and GA, supreme court reports and
volumes 10, IA, 10, 16, II, Is, 10 and 20
court of appeals reports. The sixty fifth
supreme court report and the twenty first
court of appeals report will probably be
delivered before the assembling of the
legislature. OF the 10000 books which
have been received, 5000 have been
placed on sale and the other half reserved
for distribution among the courts of the
state.
When it is considered that these books
will average 800 pages each, and at $3.50
per page, cost the state $40 apiece, and
are sold and distributed to the bar of the
state at vast amount of labor and ex-
pense, it is suggested that the state does
not make very profitable investment in
buying books under the present system,
and either the price of sale ($4) or the
price of purchase ($4.40) ought to be
changed On the 5000 reports purchased
by the state for sale, there must be neces-
sarily, under the present system, a loss of
more than $4,000, not taking into account
the labor and expense of keeping and
disposing of these books.
REVISED STATUTES AND LAWS.
On the sale of these books the state
makes twenty-five per cent, and they are
sold at such prices as place them within
the reach of every one.
/ have frequent acquisitions from
county officers for these books, but as the
state has made no provision for re-sup-
plying counties, l have declined to fill
them except where they have been lost by
fire. Article 2731 of the Revised Statutes
reads as follows:
Whenever any officer shall receive
copy OF any report, statute, digest or
journal, he shall receipt. for the same to
the officer distributing it, who shall
file such receipt in his Office,
and said books shall be deemed to be-
long to the Office of said officer to whom
they are delivered, and shall, at all reason
able hours, be subject to the inspection
and examination of any citizen of this
state; and should any of said officers fail
or refuse to deliver any of said books to
his successor in Office when demanded by
him, the officer so failing or refusing shall