The Fort Worth gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-189?, 1891-04-09
TESTERS RESOLUTION
For Appropriatine from the Permanent to
the Public school Fund Ensrossed.


Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN. Tex April I'm explaining the
meaning and significance OF his joint reSolu-
ton to-day for appropriating l per cent an
nually of the permanent school fund TO
maintaining the public schools, Jester
stated that the permanent fund now con-
sists of, cash $500, 900, county bonds 3, 622,
G2O. state bonds 81 las, 500, land notes Sl2,-
743, 900, railroad bonds 81, 163,3lT; total Sl9,-
TOO. OOO. To this must be added -, $50, coo
acres of school land valued at $3.50 per acre,
or S5G. go 900, making grand total of
about &25, GOO, 900 as the extent of the per-
manent school fund The joint resolution
proposes to amend the constitution SO as to
permit the appropriation of l per cent of
this amount or 500, 900 annually to the use of
the public schools. The available revenue
from this colossal permanent fund was last
wear 1881, 40. or barely enough to maintain
the public schools for two months. The
sum necessary to maintain the schools lon
ger than two months must be made up by
taxation to the extent Of S2,0O0000 year.
Partly to relieve the people from taxation
and to make present use of the permanent
school fund the proposition of Mr.. Jester is
made The appropriation OF per cent will
not, is claimed, make any actual reduction
for some years in the permanent fund, as
the increase in the value Of the school land
is expected to Offset the / per cent appro-
luton in the manner Of i tax, and made the
greatest physical effort of his life in de-
nouncing the scheme TO break the will of
our fathers and despoil posterity of the
noble heritage provided for it. The orator
displayed as great solicitude for poSterlty
as though posterity had done wonders Tor
himself.
Jordan, Reynolds, Davis and others OPP
posed the scheme as an unmiXed evil.
Browning of Donley regarded the res
olution as the most statesmanlike PROPOSE
ton of the session, and held that it should
be submitted to the people to pass upon it.
Baker of Tom Green favored the res
olution and deprecated the oratorical out
bursts against it on the floor. as better cal
culated for the slums than public forum. 1t
was matter for the people rather than the
legislature to pass upon. The disposition
of the school money was pressing problem
Of momentous character that demanded
speedy solution.
The Gresham bill for investigation of
railroads seemed to be out Of favor and
some other avenue must be sought out for
an investment. Why not submit
this one of using portion Of it to build up
the schools of to-day instead of letting it
rust in the treasury vaults TO the people
before whom it may be discussed, and
rational conclusion arrived at.
Owsley did not believe that 1t was good
policy to keep ourselves and children in
semi-ignorence in order that years hence
posterity may have millions to spend in
making scholars and educated chumps of
all sorts of people. Education, as well as
charity, should begin at home, and now,
after all, it was matter for the people to
decide.
Curry did not favor the resolution, and
maintained that national banks should be
displaced by q system of state banks SO con-
stituted as to guarantee the stability of each
other, TO which banks the school fund may
be loaned.
Doggett seconded the idea, and Brown Of
Grayson thought it worthless. He favored
the resolution and thought it should be
submitted to the people Something had
to be done with the school money, and he
knew no better way Of using it than in
educating the children of today.
The discussion resulted in the engross-
ment Of the resolution by big majority