Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-17

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population. Under the law, IS 1t exists,
the board CT education each year makes
an spportioument of the annual available
school fund among the several counties
and cities constituting separate school
organizations, and issues TO each GER
tifcete for the respective amounts SO
apportioned. Upon this apportion-
ment the Comptroller draws his war
rant in favor OF county tressurers snd
these warrants sre payable by county col
lectors or at the State Treasury. The
proper application Of the funds after they
reach the counties is left exclusively with
county Officials, and no prscticsl check is
placed by law upon their discretion, nor
Is suy department thereafter advised
whether the funds have been properly sp-
piled to the purposes contemplated by
lsw or otherwise. This loose condition
Of legislation hiss precipitsted in some OF
the counties the very improvident sdmin-
istrstiOn Of the funds and worked ipjus-
tice not only to the state but to the peo-
pie of the counties. Lsrge amounts are
reported unexpsnded each year, but the
! law makes 10 provision for this contin-
gency.
And these balances are nCminally car
ried forward each yesr into the accounts
of another yesr and accumulate from year
to year, to the actusl detrlment OF
the people of the same county. for
they derive no benefit from
these unexpeuded balances. 1t is est
mated from official data on Tile with the
Superintendent. OF Education that about
$500 0C0 is now outstanding il this way
This money is public money and belongs
10 the people of The state, or Ct the par
ticUlar county, srd yet II Il vslusies= to
either, because IL is not appied TO the
purposes Of education, even III the par
;iculsr county aud the psOple If that
county are required to pay their annual
tsxes for Gil purposes, Including school
purposes, - u-uol. In some instances i!
Is reported tnat these IN xpendcd ba'-
anCes have been improperly used in pri-
vate business ventures, while the officers
Of the state are pOweress 20 prevent II,
or apply corrective for 90 paipablo q
misaI plics,ion OF public money. These
funds should be received ard dis
bursed IS other public mcGies,
sndS should be subject 10 tue same
checks ard balances watch our expert
cree in governments demands IS
NECESSARY SAFEGUARDS
for public protection. The school tax is
, LEVIED and collected by the State through
her officers, and it should be discussed by
the Treasurer Just as other public monies
5 are disbuTssd. Otherwise the
: tendency is to looseness, ex,
! travagsnce, peculation and confu-
sion in the administration CT the funds
All warrants should be drawn by the
i Comptroller In favor OF the particular
teacher or employe as in other Gases foI
s services sctually rendered, and be pay.
able only at the treas ury. 1t may be thsi
the provision OF Article 7, section 5, OF
the constitution which Cquires the avail
. able school fund to De distributed to the
: several counties according TO their schol-
astic population may stand IL the WAY
Of this very necessary corrective CT Wh..
has proved serious evil, but if it does
not, remedy should De devised Snd ap-
Piled which will save the state from the
imputation Of bad faith to her teachers
, and ensbIe her officers to prevent go gross
I a mal-administTstion OF public money.
believe that this whole question of edu,
cation should be put through a most
5 searching inquisitiOn 80 that TIE
3 friction Of opinion may sharpen the in.
: struments with which now highways car
be opened in the domain Of progress, arG
OLu uASo DS III pAONSh' AAll II q pCNla
/ session Of your honorable bodies vas su-
: ihOrzad to deal wi b the mstter OF COLI
stiu.i1nSl amendments, l should feel ina,
, PEELED in difference to my ma.ured con-
victioIs Of the policy which may become
Q g necessity in the end, to urge upon YOU
3 the importance Of considering materis
alteration in support CT cur system Of
n public education. TIE rapid increase Of
0 our scholastic population over our annual
available fund makes it almost certain
, that we must IL any event soon be called
upon to revise the system in order to
, adapt 1t to these ChRT glpg conditions.
We have now by our lasJ scholastic CEN
sus school popul.tion of 4S9, 795 and
our available school fund for the current
, yesr from all sources IS estimated a.
! 81 1854
. Our scholastic population is increasing
at more rapid ratio than our resources,
the difference being ct least per cent,
although the resources from sales sud
leases under the present law are steadily
increasing the fund; and hence the ques-
ton must soon be determined by the
people
WHAT REMEDY IS PROPER
10 be applied. The system OF public edu.
Cstion is too firmly imbedded in the hearts
OF the people to contemplate even its
temporary impairment, and yet the state
under the present system hiss assumed >
burden which it is manifest it cannot
Gerry much longer without oppression.
Apart from this, very serious and just
complaints come I'D from various counties
that they are tax ridden for the benefit OF
distant counties, ard that many Of the
counties secure more from the school
fund than they annually pay out in taxes
for all other state purposes.
The true friend OF public education may
feel no special cause for alarm st these
diff :ulties and complications, for il no
o'her remedy is found, the admirable
s7stenn of government devised for MS bv