The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-08-15
AMI THE PART TAKEN IN 1T BY
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
JESDER,
.As(ONNENTED ON IN THE TENAS
SCHOOL JOURNAL.
rbo hurnal Claims TO Be in a Position
10 Make it Most Interesting for Ger
TIN State Senators Anent This
School Tax Matter.

;ssue of the Texas School Journal on
Tieutenant Governor Jester and the
school tax will prove of marked interest
in many respects. The article reads as
follows:
Tn the June Journal lieutenant Gov
ernor Jester was charged with share
Of responsibility for the defeat of the
school tax bill. Ut was the Journals pur-
nose TO defer until later date the full
discussion of this subject. The journal
exnectS to make some very interesting
reading matter out of the records of GER
Nain senator's who figured conspicuously
in tIe scho ii tax fight; but lit was Thought
that this matter would be only the more
interesting if reserved until the said SEN
ators got out before the dear people i'm the
: next campaign. The journal, therefore,
has no desire to provoke a controversy
- -present with these senators GU with
Colonel Jester. However, the Journal is
ready even now to defend its position on
this subject. 1t is willing, too, to give
these distinguished Statesmen an Opportu-
nifty to defend their positions. With pleas
ure the Journal publishes Colonel TESTERS
! defense. Here it is:
COLONEL TESTERS DEFENSE.
Corsicana, June %, 1895.
Editor Texas School Journal:
In your last (June) issue you attribute
the failure of the Static school tax (house)
bill, increasing the tax from II ID to 20
cents, being amended by the senate MAX
ing the tax 20 cents for the first year
and Is cents for THE second year, TO my
self.
The bill as amended was compromise,
and agreed to by some who favored a 20
cent tax for both years.
The bill providing for 20 cent tax for
both years passed tie house and was OBJ
stinately opposed by a minor " Of fine SEN
ate,who prevented its passage, a few SEN
ators refusing to vote. This resulted in
the bill going to the table, where it re-
manned some 10 days or two weeks.
A compromise was discussed by some of
the friends and opponents of The bill by
which it could be called up and passed.
|. with others, expressed a Willingness
to the compromise, and when the COM
promise amendment was voted for it map
pened that it was a tie vote in The senate,
and | carried out i'm good faith my under
standing of the compromise and voted for
it. The bill as amended went to the house
who refused to concur and asked for q
Tree conference committee, which was
granted by the senate. | appointed five
senator's, three favorable to 90 cent taX
for both years and two favoring q lower
which consisted of five members of
fslouse and five senators. Two thirds
..a'he committee were i'm favor of 20
sYEt tax for both years, but they agreed
TO the compromise bill, 20 cents for the
first and IL cents for the second year,
believing that n compromise was neces-
sary for the passage of the bill, as the mi
nority, Under the rules ofthe SENATE. could
have defeated it's passage. leaving the
school tax II IL CENTS. The house and
senate concurred in the free conference
committee report.
While I was of the opinion that the
compromise bill would probably furnish
sufficient revenue. with the collection OF
other funds due the available school fund
to provide for a six months school. | was
hopeful that the minority would consent
to the passage of the house BILL 20 cents
for both years.
Those who are familiar with my record
as Legislator know THAT l have always
been u friend to the public schools AND
all our educational institutions. I have
always favored the legislature carrying
out the demands of the State constitution
and the Democratic party an6 provide fol
a six months school.
GEO. r. JESTER.
In the foregoing communication Mr..
Jester both denies and admits dis re
spOnsibility for the defeat of the 20
cent school tax by the legislature. Or
if You prefer 1.-THE expression. he neither
ienies nor admits his responsibility. APP
paremtly he would like to have the teach
trs believed THAT he favored a full tax
at 20 CENTS. Still he admits THAT he did
agree to a Compromise" whereby the
mo DO 10 ~, ibaG ~
was proposed to the senate. He admits
THAT the vote upon this compromise
was ~ tie, even after he and the other
Politicians had worked it up, and that
his casting vote was necessary to defeat
the real friends of the public schools, in
the SENATE and adopt a compromise
/ Now, Wihat excuse does the lieutenant
1 governor offer for supporting this com
j promise? Hear him. He says the schoo
\ tax at 20 cents twas obstinately opposed
by a minority of the senate, who pre-
vented ats passage, few senators re
flushing to vote. This resulted in the bill
going ITO the liable, where it remained
some ten days or two weeks" In othe
4 words. MIR. Jester excuses himself fo
n DESERVING the 20 cent tax because on
u effort had been made to pass the bill
vand its passage had been prevented for
time by the filibustering of a minority q
he senate. The gentleman fell easily, hi
most admiring friends must admit. !
imam whose Friendship for the school inter
Gests of this country has no better stay
ng qualities than Those exhibited by tn
JCorsicana statesman, ought to max
Nroom for one who will make genuine
earnest efforts i'm the cause of education
II The teaGhers should help these short
winded friends of the schools out OF til
way, and put in their places men WIN
will not desert the schools, after ON
weak effort, or yield TO one shreWd tllc
of the filibustering politicians. Inc cas-
i'm hand is a particularly eXaSperalln
surrender. The SENATE journal (pag
n 399) shows THAT on the motion to pas
the bill as it came from the house. I'd
vote stood yeas TO- mays D, present an
refusing to vote (flibustering) .. In
other members of the senate, seven
number, were absent. In other word
the senate voted for the bill, almost wv
to one. Lieutenant Governor JeSt'
makes this vote his excuse for supper
ing compromise.
But there is annthngs interesting i!tt
paragraph in the history of this htt
bill When the vote of 10 to was a.
nounced in favor of the bill, and NJ
Jester, AS president of the senate, W;
about ito rule that the bill must &C,
hbo +olILA bacnuca Lose than tNO- tllll