Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-04
TEXAS SCHOOL FUND.
OBJECT OF THE AMENDMENT
TO THE CONSTITUTION.
How the Children of To-Day are Neg
lected in the Handsome Provisions for
Those to Come After Us.
Special to the Gazette

CoRsICANA, TL1. May 20.-F'ollowing is
the speech of Hon. George Jester delivered
in the city hall tonight. MIR Jester was
the Trainer of JJa | per cent school fund
amendment bill in the last legislature, and
his discussion of the measure IS of interest
to the people w,lo expect 10 vote for or
against it as Il constitutional amendment
at the ensuing election for that purpose.
He spoke as follows:
Fellow Citizens:
No state in the Union has contributed and
set apart as much of its public domain tor
the cause of education Us Texas. The state
common school fund. the county common
school fund, the university and other school
funds with total value of 500. 100000 is 4
monument of patriotism and the pride and
admiration of every Texan who IS the
friend of education. These funds are
valued at one-eighth of the taxable wealth
of the state and are Increasing III value. AS
the custodians of this magnificent fund we
should exercise wisdom and patriotism in
its control and management and use II Tor
the purpose for winch il was dedicated.
The subject OF my remarks is the pro
posed amendment TO article 4 section =. OF
the constitution of the state of Texas. which
provides for the legislature transferring
annually not TO exceed ! per cent OF the
total value of the public common school
fund 10 the available school fund Tor the
support OF lDG PUBIC tOlHitlOu SCiiOOiS-
At the present estimated value OF tins
fund per cent would be about Sii2.500 an
nually transferred, an amount nearly suth-
Gent to support a two months scHool and
equal to 10 cent tax on the 500.
The object of this amendment is 10 dis
tribute equitably and justly this fund be-
tween the children OF tins day ami genera
ton. and posterity. When we consider the
magnitude of this fund, valued At $500,
600, which is about One-tenth of the value
of the taxable wealth of the siate-a fund
that has doubled in value within the past
ten wears. and continuing to increase by The
appreciation of the public school land. and
then consider that out of tins immense 1uHd
we are receiving only about enough TO sup
port a two months school-We are IN
pressed with the defect Of our organic law,
which fails to yield Just share Tor the edu-
cation of the children of to-day. but 50 con-
structed that those who come after US viii
receive more than their equitable share OF
this fund.
More than two-thirds Of the school fund
is in land which yields but little revenue 10
the available school fund. but IS advancing
i'll value which increases the permanent
school fund annually.
To do Justice to the children ana tax
payers of to-day. il is absolutely necessary
to either amend the constitution. so We can
use a small per cent of the principal of the
permanent school fund, as this amendment
PROPOSES or sell the public school lands to
SPECTATORS If all the public school land
was sold at its present value and the notes
and bonds draw } per cent interest. then
the permanent school fund would yield an
available school fund sufficient to support
six or seven months school This would
be derived from the interest without the
use of any part of the principal But we
contend that the present policy of the state,
70 hold for homes
settlers and an advance in value, is wise
and patriotic policy, and that the perlna-
nent fund in land IS
SAFER THAN IN NOTES AND BONDS.
We also contend that it is a better policy
and in the interest of posterity to hold the
lands for an advance and homes OF settlers.
and use per cent annually of the principal
of the fund, rather than sell the lands at
their present value and use only the interest
and no part of the principal
The permanent school fund is the prlnci-
pal of all cash bonds, notes and land, and no
part of the principal can be used to support
the schools.
the permanent school fund, Is the interest
on bonds and notes, and rent on lands
leased.
The available school fund from state tax
alton under the constitution is one-fourth
of the state occupation tax, 81 per capita
state poll tax and not to exceed ~ cents
tax on the 500, to be levied by the legisla-
ture.
| think it is conceded that the state is
committed to and should provide for six
months school The constitution makes it
the duty of the legislature to provide for Il
six months school, and the Democratic
party in convention at San Antonio de-
manded it.
1t will require So oO0,OOO from state tax,
including the available fund from the state
school fund, to support six months
school. 1t is necessary to increase taxes to
the constitutional limit which will support
a four months school, leaving two months
provided by the state school fund as fol-
lows:
FROM STATE TAX.
90 cts on the 500 tax 1882 100000 ...-so64O4 SO
School noII ......... $50 OOO1OO
!. state occupation tax-...... 2l2,CO0 20