The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-01-17
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
A Carefully Prepared aud Com
prehens,ve State Paper
Read Yesterday.
Important and Timely Suggestions
On All Matters Affecting the
Interest of the State.
Defects In the Judiciary System
Pointed Out, with Recon-
merdauons for Their
Correction.
Gentlemen ofMe Senate and House
nj PebyeSeHkaktUeS

In all good governments, poVh PG eDlaJ
and private rights must be deiheu
and limited by law, and at the com
mencement of your legislative busl-
ness in the interests of q people pre-
senting all the physical evidences tllaC
90 10 make up a peaceful, industrious
Foundation. with n strikingly pro-
ponnced determination on the part OF
ali classes and conditions to preserve
social order, protect person ana prop
ertv enforce the laws, ana rehuer
obedience to all legally constituted
authorities. the Constitution makes IL
INV dutv as the executive to commune
cate by message to the Legislature IN
formation concerning the condltloh vi
the State, and recommend such meas
ures as NAV be deemed expedlent:
Tn compliance with this duty, L re-
snectnllly suggest that questions OF a
financial character and bearing, IN
volvInp the mode and manner OF pro-
viding revenue to defray the expenses
of the State government, and the pur-
noses and objects to which it should be
annlied. furnish subjects worthy OF
vo1,r highest ability, and are properly
..ntjtled 10 vour first consideration.
The Constitution provides that no
money shall be drawn from the treas
ury but in consequence OF approprla-
lions made by law, and the Legislature
Ia invested with entire control over
the public purse. o,,
nv the exercise of this power you
are required TO define and limit the
other departments of the government
10 the sums expressly provided for
their purposes for the time fixed, ana
while these departments should not
he permitted to create u necessity Tor
expenditures in excess of approprla-
tons nor to engage in reckless eX-
trayagance of public funds, on the
other hand, as this important power Is
delegated TO you, and its exercise can
not be avoided, you should not vote
expenditures, or impose burdens, ana
then fail or refuse to provide ways ana
means To meet the obligations as they
mature. This would not only be I'M
lust. but IL Is unwise, because eXtrava-
giant appropriations will always roll
low when those who authorize the
expenditures feel no responsibility IN
providing the means of payment ana
then. too. those who hold the obllga-
tons of the government for services
rendered must suffer loss in waiting
until their just demands can pemel by
deficiency appropriations. ~.
AS this Is one of the most serious
questions awaiting the careful atteh'
ton of your honorable bodies, l SUD
NIT herewith the report of the honor
able Comptroller, which not only eX-
hibits trained and systematic knowl'
edge of his department, but furnishes
elaborate tables and figures and pre-
sents ample information on whlcn
your safe and judicious action may bC
based I'm providing for present OF
future exigencies of the public service
From its tabular statement you VIII
observe. that estimated receipts from
the ten cent levy and all other sources
with the existing cash balance in the
Treasury, when applied to the cur,
rent operating expenses estimated
upon the basis called for by the differ
ent departments, and when further
depleted by the uneXpended appro
priations made by the special session
of the Twentieth Legislature, vii
leave only $50, 4S0.6S rs n cash surplus
I'm the Treasury on August 81, 1881
And this does not include the amoun
YOU may deem necessary for the cur
rent expenses of the reformatory, no
does It anticipate an appropriation 10
the A. Il NJ. College or the norma
schools.
Assuming the same estimates rs {
basis of calculation, ii is further shown
that the 20 cent tax levy Will leave
deficiency of $l72, 495.74 on August 81
1890. 1t Is well to remember also
that these estimates are based upol
the idea that the same close collections
will be maintained by collectors dur
ing the ensuing fiscal years, and in ad
dition. we can no longer expect to de
rive benefit from the usual collection o
hack taxes. which on August 3lst
1887. amounted to 1852, S36 10 for lSSI
and prior wears, and which to that eX
tent swelled receipts beyond wha
was considered in basing estimates o
current expenses.
Apprehending that the Legislation
OF the special session of the 10th Leg
islature whereby the ordinary eX
penses were so greatly increased b!
the creation and establishment of /
Reformatory, Deaf and Dumb anC
Blind Institute for the colored youth
a new court and an Orphan Asylum
and the requisite sum for the prope
care and keeping of the Capitol build
ing, together with the other liberia
drafts upon the surplus in the Treas
ury, would result in putting our Stat
Government in a straight jacket an'
start II upon an impracticable course
from which the wise enactments OF
revenue and taxation passed by tn
regular session had contributed :,
much to redeemit. l did not conside
the reduction made in the tax lev.
consistent with sound public policy
and endeavored to engraft my conclu
sions upon the appropriation bills
and prevail upon the Legislature L
adopt what l deemed n safer policy
suggesting a. n precaution against tn
danger of n reduction of receipts below
the requisite margin absolutely neces
sary TO enable the Treasury at al
times TO meet the just demands upol
IL. that they leave the rate of taxation
as it then was, and by enactment re
init such portion of the surplus a
they deemed just and wise to tn
whole people who were first entities
TO consideration in a disposal of thi
money. And by leaving this none.