The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-05-29

time l certainly can not neglect II.
Tt is difficult, many times for weeks
impossible, for me to keep up with
such matters in the Office as require
my personal attention. hope, how
ever, an opportunity may hereafter
occur to give some other audience IN
Texas my views at large on several
other important subjects. Among
them our penal system. There seems
to be an inclination on the part OF
some advocates of economy to utilize
the convict labor of Texas as a source
of revenue and profit to the State.
This is wrong in principle. 1t is an
injustice to the laboring classes OF the
country, and to the convict himself:
Deprived OF his liberty and condemned
to labor, which labor should
be profitable, and at least sufficient
for his own sustenance, but when the
results OF his labor are more than
enough to reimburse the State for the
expense of his keeping, especially If
he be man who has a reasonable
hope of being free again before death,
it will be better to save this surplus
for him or his family, if he fas one,
who have been deprived of his assist
ance at the demand OF society. He
may not then be turned loose, utterly
penniless, after paying all the penal
! ties of his crime. This, too, leaves one
small motive in life to console fellow
creature, who, however unworthy,
should be the object of human SYM
pathy. l hope hereafter to be heard
on the subject of public schools. public
roads and taxation for these purposes
to which / would apply as far as pos
sible the Democratic doctrine OF home
rule and local self-government.
Texas has today about 5,0OO,OOO Of
acres of public domain in the extreme
western part OF the State. This land
is in large bodies in many places. In
Ell Paso county alone there being as
much as 100000 acres. This land,
Judging from my observation as COM
missioner of the general land office for
three years past, appears to be in no
demand for settlement under the laws
now providing for the disposition of
the public domain. There is no call
for it at all. If elected governor /
shall recommend that 100000 acres
OF this land, more or less, be set apart
fol- lease for term of years in bodies
to suit the lessee, the revenue to be
tderived therefrom to be donated to the
maintenance OF INDECENT and disabled
Confederate soldiers. 1t is safe to say
this land might be donated to this use
for twenty years without any serious
detriment to any other public interest.
1 feel sure that were this done these
worthy and helpless fellow citizens
| will have friends enough among the
!stockmen of Texas to see to it that
the soldiers land is not long
without a tenant. This will
give immediate relief to these
grand old heroes who should
not suffer while waiting for private
generosity to furnish them with the
bare means of subsistence. l should
recommend this because it is the duty
of Texas to do it, or something else
equivalent. l feel certain that, large
as this assembly is, you will concur
with me in this. I feel certain that
no protest against it will come from
any citizen of this State. The fire.
quency with which the dread destroyer
invades the threshold of the Home in
Austin shows us that we can indulge
in this charity for only few years.
These feeble old men are passing away,
and let there be no delay in giving
them the solid comfort and support
they deserve. This land then goes
back to the State to be disposed of as
the people may command. 1 hope to
he heard later on the subject of public
lands, but this matter is too extensive
for more than mere allusion here to-
day. Suffice it to say that our school
and other public lands fit for
homes should be held for and
given only to actual settlers.
and until demanded for this purpose
utilize them as now for the benefit of
the fund for which they belong and
for the relief of the people from that
much taxation. The University must
be cherished to the end that the ut
| HosI uselulHeSS may De uerlVeu Gnere-
from for the generation now ready for
| its benefits.
Upon the subject of finance and
taxation l shall also have something
to say, when 1 shall suggest and in
sist that the burdens of government
be more equally distributed than they
are now. A reference to the last an
nual report of the comptroller will
show that the western half OF our
State is bearing more than its share
OF the public burdens. And now,
fellow citizens, in conclusion permit
me to say that it is the duty of the
Democracy of Texas to take care of
her good name. No citizen on earth
must suspect that Texas will break
faith with him. Let the world know
that money invested under her laws
and constitution will be protected ;
that the State will keep her contract,
good or bad. That when Der highest
officers, under reasonable construc-
ton of her statutes and an honest APP
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