Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-04

| for at least twenty years 10000, 900 acres
I and an dd vance of 10 cents an acre annually
Is 81 coo, coo increase in value which viii on
| set the per cent cash drawn annually from
! the school fund. This viii lelve 1850. 600
acres TO sell IS demanded by actual settlers
during the next twenty years, which will
| also continue to increase in value until
sold. This immense fund yields TO tho
available school fund as before stated
| about two months school or ABOUT s., 0O0,-
600 annually.
The impression that exists with many
that that there is large amount of cash in
the state treasury belonging TO the perma-
nent fund, Is an error, as stated, there was
on the 2ith of February. 1891, S256, $50. 50;
August Il, 1890. there was 100000. There
was received in the treasury from August
| 81, 1889, to September /, 1890, 1881, 0.05,
and Z is estimated by Comptroller John ID.
Mccall that the receipts from September l,
1890 10 September l. 1891. will De 81 900, 900
| or over this is the permanent school fund
in cash tlf.it is being invested in bonds. and
from this fund will Be drawn the per cent
in cash.
Thus far the state and county bonds Of
fering has borrowed the surplus cash, but
II is confidently believed that there Will
itsoon be a large surplus of cash by the pay
| ment of land notes and county boTds that
must fr d an investment or
LIE IDLE IN TIE STATE TREASURY.
Is it not better 10 lessen taxes 10 cents on
the 800, about coo annually less than
otherwise would be necessary TO support 4
six months school, by leaving this amount
in circulation in the pockets of every tax
payer in the state rather than encourage
our state and counties from going in oebt
ana borrowing money that should be placed
III the minds of the childreuk
The amendment carries with il solution
of the investment and disbursement Of =
lDfY Of Nfa'N II
the permanent school fund. Every child in
the state Is equally benefited and every tax
payer receive his just share by 4 reduction
Of taxes III proportion TO the amount OF
taxes necessary TO support SIX months
schGDl.
Thus it is. considerable portion of the
cash surplus school fund Is put IN cIrcul2-
ton, using il 10 support the public schools.
As the money IS received III the treasury IL
will be gradually distributed throughout
the state in every community. thereby pre-
venting an accumulation in the state treas
ury Ii is simply using this money for the
purpose which it was intended and lessen
ing taxes.
The argument we hear about the founders
of our government bequeathinE the state
public school land and establishing the
precedent that only the interest on notes
and bonds should be the available school
fund and the permanent school fund should
cash and land. IS false and deluSlon.
Texas first constitution was the wear she
first became a state IN 1916. This was be-
fore the day of state publicsch in Texas.
About all the land that was then set apart
Tor schools was the four league grant to
each county. The present plan Of making
only the interest the available fund and the
principal of all notes bonds, cash and land
the permanent school fund, was the consti-
tuition rs amended in June. 1850, which WAS
adopted by Is ll9 for and 23.400 against
ByA VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
Since that time the pubic domain has
gradually been given TO the different school
funds, railroads. state capital. etc, and to-
day we have only 1900 600 acres still unap-
propriated, which the Twenty-second 'egis
lature came very near giving three-fourths
10 the public school fund and one-fourth to
the state university.
The people are the law, the supreme
power Constitutions are made and
amended by the people, and the people of
to-day know better the condition OF the
school fund in 1891 than those who made
the constitutions of 1915. 1866 or 1876.
The question before the people IS, shall
we adopt the proposed amendment and 90
justice TO the children and taxpayers of the
present. or reject it and continue to accu-
muiate an immense school fund for an I'M
known pOsterity from every quarter of the
globe, The sentimental gush we hear
about ''precedent" and ''poSterlty' which
would rob the children of this generation OF
their share of the school fund and raise
them up i'll ignorance, will give way to in
telligence, justice and patriotism when dis
cuSSed.
In the language of Governor Roberts,
''Posterity is already here, gentlemen"
The old alcalde spoke wisely. "A word fifty
spoken is like apples of gold in pictures Of
silver" II is the half million children of
the present that cOnfronts US that demands
our consideration.
Many Of whom is the posteritv of the
founders of our government; of the heroes
who fell at the Alamo; OF the defenders of
Texas from the Mexicans and Indians Of
The pioneers who suffered all the hardships
and privationS incident to the civilization
and DEVELOPMENT OF a new country: of the
honest hardy men struggling for home IN
a wilderness, who have felled our forests,
plOwed our broad prairies in beautiful
fields and made them blossom as the rose.
This is the posterity that is entitled to an
education from this fund. 1t Is our duty to
provide for their education, and prepare
them to take our places, to keep pace with
the rapid and progressive march OF our
grand state, and tine intelligent people who
are coming and will continue to come and
make their homes among us.
1t has been truly said that it IS the duty
of a nation to educate well one generation
and it will provide for its posterity and be
more capable of approaching the impor
lance of educating its pOsterity and better
able to pay taxes and support public
schools.
The public school fund is large enough
and should not be permitted to become
larger; the fund at its present value is and
will be the largest school fund in the
Union, and one that will require able and
honest management.
The increase IN the value of this fund
from the enhancement in the value of school
lands and the interest on the fund should
be used for the purpose for which it was
set apart-to educate, even TO the extent OF
a ten months school.
Better leave pOSterity well educated
fathers and mothers and a smaller school
fund rather than ignorant parentagn and a
large school fund.
We believe this fund should be used for
the purpose for which it was dedicated, but
we believe in using it and lessening taxes.
We know not what may befall it, dishonest
officials may rob even sacred fund like
this; war with its devastation may consume
it, but that which is placed in the minds OF
the children is used for the purpose for
which it is intended and is where moth
and rust cannot corrupt.
Woman and Her Watch.