The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-03-02
A FALSE LEGISLA1 TIVE ECONOMY.


A careful listener to debates in the
legislature cannot but be impressed
with the fact thai cost very often fig
ures more largely than merit. How Of
ten will youhear confession of the vir-
tue of a bill, but coupled whit the ex-
preston of an intention to vote against
the bill because of the expense. A no.
table instance comes to mind at this
writing. What a stormy time OF 1t
thu geological survey bill some years
ago had. 1t is true many Legislators OPP
posed it conscientiously on the ground
of disbelief in the policy of sending
mon over the state to pick up stones
and curios as they expressed it in
their effort to ridicule the bill. This
was an exhibition OF a want Of an in
teIIgenJ comprehension uf tho suNjeut.
But there were others who fought the
bill not on the ground of its want of
merit, but from a policy of false econ
omy.
And how much of just this kind Of
thing is going on daily, not only in
Texas, but in all state legislatures?
Now, is this carrying out the true in
tent of state governments? A man in
private business may be excused for
INDUCING in a penny wise and
pound foolish" policy, because it
Injuries himself alone, but can a great
state afford to do so? Is it alone the
duty of o state to raise taxes to pay
the executive, judicial and legislative
branches of government for executing
and tinkering with existing laws, or
of ruling the people within the con-
tracted limits of pent up present?
If so, does the legislature meet in BIZ
ennial session simply to patch up,
amend or repeal our civil and GRIM
inal codes? Has not true legislation
a much wider, nobler and grander
scope of usefulness? A people, when
they come together and consent to
band themselves in a state govern
ment, do not by that act mean to rivet
shackels on their hands and feet, to
impede their progress and develop
ment. They hope by so combining
their energies and power to provide
au engine of irresistable force and
conquering impulse. And does that
act contemplate the counting of small
costs? In yielding up so much do
they mean to keep back the fiat to be
hurled &C the heads of their law
makers, dare to be broad gagued and
Off come your heads-dare to spend
but the skimpest nickle possible for a
beggarly administration of govern
ment for and of the present and in
total oblivion of the future and you
die the death-dare to be
broad minded statesmen and
we relegate you to the rear while Pc
nurious time sewers will be sent to
take your place? Do the people mean
this? We can't believe it.
Now, this must not be tortured into
an appeal for extravaganza. But it is
u determined declaration of the fact |
that state governments are not solely |
framed for the present, but for now
and all the future. Texas Legislators,
the size of Texas shows that her
founders could scarcely be limited by
territory boundary lines-let US not
try to bind the people now with
chains of sand, for they so will and
must be proven to be ere many days
roll round. Texas can not be small in
any thing. She can not shut her eyes
to the wealth of her undeveloped re.
she can not be ignorant of
her progressive citizenship; she can
not cape at gnat to be choked to
death by her vast public domain.