Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-06

eau your attention TO n statement OF |
the receipts ond disbursements Tor the
years 1880 TO 1852. inclusive. furnished |
me by the comptroller, which shows |
that there were deficiencies In tsS5. 1883 |
and 1889, as well as In 1892 and 1898. In
April 1855 there was paid into the
treasury 60 the credit OF the general
revenue the sum Of S922 54tb2 by the
United States as an Indemnity for
frontier protection, which with the sur
plus from 1856 and 1857 bridged over
the deficiencies OF later years, and
no public notice was taken Of them:
Revenue. Receipts. Disbursements
Year ending August 81,
1855. e. ..Si,9iS,qe46S s1,97a ss1.25
1885,. :. 80. 2ili03i50 1856 l0,l4
1881. >. ...... 285sO2asl 2O2tbla.at
1855. ...... 3l3S.iss5I 2l6s,230.30
1883. ...... l6lsI1f90 2.35O,isl.O3
ls90.... e. -. 22g6, l6lO3 2ess,ais.e5
1891. q. .,.... 2,tldSli,2l 232a, 24SQ0
1S92..... =. E. 2,1S4Bl6.S3 2,74i,4IS.70
1S93.,,. 9. .... 2i90,69S0I 240s, bOlag
The amount Of tax for each year
was:
For 1856. % cents; for 1886. % cents;
for 1855, % cents; for 1885 10 cents;
for 1889 90 cents. for 1890, 20 cents;
for 1891. l6 2-3 cents; Tor 1892. 10 cents;
for 1898. Ia cents
1850. ..., Deficit. 80. $50 thsa2
1886, =. Surplus. :. -. 4fS,b2l36
lSS7.., -. Surplus. =. So. 325,50L4
1855. -. -. Deficit. =. 80. bog 3ob,2o
lSS9.... :. Deficit. .. -. $50 Il6lS
$780,. 80. ..surplus.... :. l902l2.oS
1871. :. surplus. .3ss' I'LL
lS92.,. -. =. Deficit. :. So. bbb,S6loi
lsV8.... 80. ..Deiicit.. =. So. 2pE9Op,ah
Since Its accession TO power In 1915,
when the state ad valorcm tax was 90
cents on the 100. augmented by special
taxes. the Democratic party has stead
| lily reduced taxation to the present rate
| of rs cents besides discharging much
OF the public debt. and as far as posi-
| Bile It should stendfastly adhere to this
! conservative and sound policy Much
| expense now Incurred, though bene-
| ncally subscribing public interests. may
under present conditions be cut on
| without material dctriment to the pub
! lie service, so MS to bring our dishurse-
ments at least within our receipts and
maintain the faith and credit Of the
state. and this should be done In direc-
tons which will not Interfere with the
/ necessary and Indispensable operations
| Of the government
Railway Land Grants.
During the twenty-eight years be-
tween January 30, 1854, the date Of the
first act, and April 90. 1852. when the
laws were repealed, the state pursued
unstlntlngly the policy Of encouraging
Internal improvements by donations of
land, To railway companies 1t donated
sixteen. twenty and twenty-four sec
/ lions OF land to the mile Of completed
/ road, and as the companies were au-
thorized to select the land upon which
the certificates were located much OF
the most valuable land In the state
was thus appropriated. Under this sys-
tenn there was donated to these COM
panies IS, S2d,SS0 acres OF land. This liz
| more than % per cent OF the total area
OF the state and comprises territory
q. al IL q AnHHaH
chusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont
Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland,
New Jersey and Delaware. Its value
! Is beyond accurate estimate or compu-
tatlon. Notwithstanding this libernlity
on the part OF the state, many OF the
companies. either through ignorance
or neglect Of government officials, OBJ
tanned more land than they were en-
titled 10 under the law, and others OBJ
tanned without the shadow Of right to
any. amounting TO several million acres
This is not merely my opinion; II II
the conclusion reached by the supreme
court OF our state. large proportion
OF the land wrongfully appropriated by
the companies has been sold and is In
the hands Of purchasers Tor value
with reference to this portion, II Is IN
uuestionahly true that the act Of the
officers In issuing certificates ana pat
ents gave apparent title TO the COM
panics and thus permitted them TO ap-
pear as owners and transfer such tue
to purchasers These officers were but
agents Of the state and their authority
To act In It's name Of which all persons
must take notice at their peril. was the
law. and consequently having exceeded
their authority the state Is not bound.
Under any other rule the government
would be at the mercy OF inefficient
or corrupt officials. But there are con-
siderations notably the fact that the
ofIicials permitted the companies to ap-
near on the face OF the title papers
ms owners and that value was paid for
the lands under such belief, which make
IL eminently equitable and Just that
the title of such purchasers be fully
and Immediately validated. No such
equity enters into the case of the com
panIes or their representatives, Tor they
were neither misled nor did they pay
for the land. Where my OF these lands
nre held directly by the companies or
for their benefit by representatives they
should be reclaimed To guard against
the holding OF lands in perpetuity by
corporations and 10 hasten the devel-
opment Of our country. every statute
Of our state under which lands have
been donated to them in aid Of works
OF Internal Improvement contains re-
nulrement that they be alienated within
fixed periods OF time. In evasion OF
these provisions corporations have 50
uniformly only colorahly alienated
their lands that the trainers OF the pres
ont constitution specially made II the
duty OF the attorney general, IN every
instance where alterations have been
} or hereafter may be made to inquire
into the same. and n such alienation
has been made IN fraud OF the rights
Of the state. and IL colorado only. the
real and beneficial interest being stu
in such corporation. to institute lega
proceedings in the county where the
seat OF government is situated TO Tor
felt such lands TO the state, and II such
: alienation be judiclally- ascertalned &C
be fraudulent and colorado as afore-
: said. such lands shall be forfeited e
I the state and become a part OF The
/ vacant public domain, liable 10 pre-
! emption location and survey" II was
, , upon these considerations That th'
! | lands mentioned were recovered and nc
J | action was contemplated or takef
against purchasers. Judgments haV'
been entered for the state IN suits q
recover land as follows; Against th'
Houston and Texas Central RAILWAY
company in Nolan county for lDzi
acres: against the Galveston, Harris
: burg and San Antonio Railroad com
, many In Travis county on change o
= Venue from JeN Davis county. bs.sii
af.s.ff 30. f1H4Ia