Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-22
TEXAS SCHOOL FUND.
OBJECT OF THE AMENDMENT
TO THE CONSTITUTION.
How the Children of To-Day are Neg
Iected in the Handsome Provisions for
Those to Come After Us.
Special to the Gazette.

| Special to the Gazette
| CoRsICANA, TEX, May 2O-Following is
| the speech of Hon. George Jester. delivered
| in the city hall tonight. Mr.. Jester was
| the franer of the per cent school fund
| amendment bill in the last legislature, and
| his discussion of the measure is Of interest
| TO the people who expect TO vote for or
against II as 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 for
the cause of education as Texas. The state
common school fund, the county common
school fund, the university and other school
l1usaS with total value of SlOO, OOO, COO IS
monument of patriotism and the pride and
admiration of every Texan who IS the
friend of education. These funds are
valued al one-eighth of the taxable wealth
OF the state and are increasing in value. AS
the custodians of this magnificent fund we
should exercise wisdom and patriotism in
its control and management and use 1t Tor
the purpose for which it was dedicated.
The subject of my remarks is the pro-
posed amendment to article Z, section 8, of
the constitution of the state of Texas, which
provides for the legislature transferring
total salue of the public common school
fund to the available school fund for the
support of the public common schools.
At the present estimated value of this
fund per cent would be about S.12, 500 an
nually transferred, an amount nearly suff-
Gent TO support two months school and
equal TO 10 cent tax on the 500.
The object of this amendment is to dis
tribute equitably and justly this fund be-
tween the children of this day and genera
ton, ard posterity. When we consider the
magnitude of this fund, valued at ST, 500
600, which is about one-tenth Of the value
of the taxable wealth of the state-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 this immense fund
we are receiving only about enough to sup
port a two months School-we are i'm
pressed with the defect of our organic law,
which fails 10 yield a just share for the edu-
cation of the children of to-day, but so con-
structed that those who come after US will
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 to
the available school fund, but is advancing
in value which increases the permanent
school fund annually.
To do justice to the children and tax
payers of to-day, it 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,
10 hold these lands for the homes of actual
settlers and an advance in value, is wise
and patriotic policy, and that the perIna-
nent fund i'll land is
SAFER THAN IN NOTES AND BONDS.
We also contend that it is q 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 AZ
their present value and use only the interest
and no part of the principal
The permanent school fund is the princi-
pal of all cash bonds, notes and land, and no
part of the principal can be used 10 support
the schools.
The available school fund, derived from
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 20 cents
tax on the $780, to be levied by the legisla-
ture
| think it is conceded that the state is
committed TO and should provide for six
school. The constitution makes it
the duty of the legislature to provide for a
six months school, and the Democratic
party in convention at San Antonio de-
manded it,
1t will require s3OOO,OOO from state tax,
the available fund from the state
school fund, to support six mouths
school. 1t is necessary to increase taxes 10
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.
20 cts on the 500 tax s7S2 100000 81 5s4 e04 SO
school poll NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 3S000Op00
!. state occupation tax. ........ gig 600 W
s2,156,eOi SO
FROM SCHOOL FUND.
Receipts from int. on county bonds. ) 10000 90
Receipts from int. on state bonds. 10000 Oh
Receipts from int. on railroad bonds 5000 10
Receipts from int. on land sales. $4,000 70
Receipts from lands leased. ......... 266,0CO %