The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-10-04
AN ADDRESS.
Brief Summary of the Fruits of
Democratic Government.
A Ringing Document from the
Democratic State Executive
Committee for the
People.

dress to the people, of which the follow
ing is pretty free synopsis:
To the People of TsXss:
The democratic party of the state of
Texas, in view of the approaching elec-
tion, has chosen its standard bearers and
put forth lis platform of principles once
more for the consideration of the whole
people, and, in vindication of its claim to
continuance in the favor and confidence
of the people by whom it has been hon
ored Tor so many years, the following
brief statement of some of the most im-
portant facts in its history, during the
period of its control OF the government,
is deemed appropriate. Attention is
called to the fact that its administration
is economic, and the following compare
tive statement of state atfairs, under re-
publican and democratic management,
strongly appeals to the people for fur
Their lease of power:
TAXATION.
In July, 1867, the control and manage
ment of the state government was taken
from the democratic party by the exercise
of the military power of the general gov
eminent, Governor Throckmorton being
removed as an impeachment to reconstruc
ton. At this time the rate of state
taxation was Is cents on the 800,
and the taxes levied by county gov
ernments was correspondingly low and
confined to the Legitimate objects of gov
eminent. This low rate of taxation
yielded abundant revenue for the efficient
and successful operation of the govern
ment upon democratic ideas and princi-
Piles, exemplified by the fact that the state
wasl then practically out of debt and had a
balance in the treasury.
From 1870 to 1874, the period covered
by the Davis republican administration,
the state ad vaorem tax alone was so
cents on the 800, and this was augmented
by special state and county taxes to an
amount unparalleled in the previous or
subse quent history of our state. This
system under the forms of law in the guise
of taxation continued until an unshackled
people reinvesued the democracy with
power by the ballot, and in January, 1874,
inaugurated Richard Coke governor of
the state of Texas. The government,
which had been turned over to the re
publicans out of debt, with treasury
holding balance in favor of the state,
and with an existing honest rate of taxa
ton, was handed back to US with an
enormous debt, empty treasury, blasted
credit and system of taxation approach
ing confscation. The immediate
application of democratic princi-
pies in the conduct of the government
settled the debt restored the credit, low.
cred taxes, replenished the treasury, and
now, after fourteen years of democratic
government, we have a state ad valorem
general revenue tax of 10 cents, and 1919
cents on the 800 for school purposes, an
average rate of county taxation of AZ
cents on the 500, and cash balance of
about $1,500000 in the treasury.
STATE INDEBTEDNESS.
After the adoption of the constitution
of 1869, and the reorganization of the
state government, Governor Davis, in
mis- message to the legislature, dated
April 30, 1870, in speaking of the state
debt, mentions as due the school fund
1872, 1882, and as due the University fund,
$134,47226, and says: "The only other
indebtedness is that of the 10 per cent war
rants, issued before the late war, and not
excluded under the 34th section, article
-, general provisions" This amount, he
states, is not considerable, and further
says: "Texas may, therefore. substan-
TALLY be said to be out of debt"
On December 1, 1878, the comptroller,
Mr.. A. Bledsoe, in his report to the gov
ernor, gives the state debt at that date
$1,797,SS4.16.
Immediately after the inauguration of
Governor Coke in January, 1874, the
comptroller, Mr.. Darden, made state
ment of the state debt from the best data
accessible. The Office, instead of being for
mally turned over to him by his predeces-
sol, had been abandoned and everything left
in great confusion, and from the imper-
feet data at hand the state debt, as far as
could be ascertained from the registers,
with interest due to the close of the fiscal
year, was $2,248,s31.75.
It was soon ascertaiued that large
amount of claims against the state had
not been audited, but were held by citizens
in all parts of the state, and thus new
debts were constantly coming to light,
until August 81, 1876, the audited and
registered debt of the state amounted to
the sum of S5,2l0,0 73.95, all of which was
incurred prior to January, 1874, except
$794,979.50, which was spent mainly for
frontier defense (Comptroller's report to
governor November 10, 1870, which sum
has been more than fully returned by the
general government to the state through
the direct efforts of the democratic party.
PUBLIC LANDS.
In 1854 the fathers of Texas, who had
fought for her independence, numbering
such men as Houston, Rusk and their
compatriots, inaugurated the policy
of landed subsidies to railroads,
with the view of settling up
the state and relieving the governm ent of
the necessity of large Expenditures for
frontier defense. Departing from this
policy, the republican purity gave to the
international Railroad company, with an
estimated length of 700 miles, moneyed
subsidy of $4,000 per mile, to be paid in
interest bearing bonds at eight per cent,
running thirty years; and to the Trans
continental and Southern Pacific, each a
moneyed subsidy of $4,000, OO0;:and, when
that party was driven from power, there
were money subsidy propositions pending
in the legislature which would have un-
questionably received legislative sanction
for 800 miles more railway, footing up
an aggregate of about $4,000 600, which
could only have been paid by taxes i'm
posed upon the fruits gathered from the
toll of the people.
To meet this condition of AFFAIRS, the
democratic party gave, in lieu OF such
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