The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-01-17
THE PUBLIC FREE SCHOOLS.

1892 93. .... ..... ..... -. 2904,3d2
| 1S93-9i. 80. ..... 900. ...'. 2,2d3,2Ot
| 1894 ...... -. 242S, 49,
PER CAPITA APPORTIONED.
| 1S9l-92. E. ........ .... -. - 9U
lS.D2!)3, .. ..... ...... ....' I! w
lS93-94. &C.. ..... ...'. '.''. - ~
! lSo1-DD, .. ..... ..... .'.'' % ~
From the foregoing it will be seen that
while the aggregate school fund from all
sources in 1S94-95 was about two hun
dred thousand dollars less than for the
years 1912, the scholastic population
increased about one hundred thousand
during that time
The constitutional mandate that the leg
islature shall raise sufficient revenue to
maintain and support the public free
schools Of this state for period of not
less than six months of each year, has
never been complied with, and it can not
and never will be obeyed without in
creased taxation. The revenue has not
been increased. The scholastic popula-
ton has. This is the trouble.
The available means derived from the
permanent school fund, consisting of the
public free school lands, the land notes
and bonds, added to the constitutional
appropriation of one per cent of the per
mancnt fund, fall far short of maintain
ING the schools up to
| the standard required 10y the
constitution. In my first message to the
legislature, four years ago, these ques-
tions were fully discussed, and advice was
therein given to increase taxation Tor
| their support. The following quotation
| from that message on the subject IS given
for the purpose of reiterating the sentl-
ments it contains:
"rhe misleading opinion, that the
state will educate the children Mt its own
expense, to some extent seems to prevail.
This may sound well, and appear as plaus-
| ible, but the pertinent question is, how
will the state get the money with which
to do this? The only answer is, from the
people. The people compose the state.
| 1t exists by their consent, for their con
venience, to promote their happiness.
| Without money it cannot exist, and that
must be raised by some method of taxa
ton. A partial and qualified exception 10
this rule applies to the public free schools.
For their support the people-the state
once owned Il vast domain. At first 1t
seemed to be the general expectation that
all the expenses of the schools could be
betrayed out of it without resort TO taxa
ton. No longer does such an opinion pre-
vail among those who are informed on the
subject; and there is no hope OF such Il
mistake ever again being eXcusaDle. Inc
proposition, narrowed down to the line OF
candor, is, that if the people ever expect
| to have an efficient system OF free schools
they must prepare to pay for it. Resort
| to sophstries and subterfuges may dis
guisc the truth, but its essence and effect
will nevertheless rmain. JnmaSk the
facts, deal candidly. and let the truth be
| known. If the people revolt ut the sltua-
| ton, they alone have the power to change
it,"
| | advocated an increase of taxes Tor
| this purpose then, and again discharge
my constitutional obligation in this re-
spcct by repeating the sclf-cvident propo-
sition, that the mandate of the highest
law known to the public servant cannot
| be complied with as to public schools with
| ont an increase of the tax rate i'll proper
ton TO the increase Of scholastic popula-
ton. To efficiently maintain them. the
| LEGISLATURE must raise the revenue. There
| is little use of attempting to dodge the
question any further.
| AS the population increases, the revc-
nues remain comparatively unchanged.
| As Il consequences the per capita appor-
toned by the state board of education
necessarily must be decreased annually
! The present administration has not been
able nor willing to check the increase of
scholastic population, no more than 1t
has been able to increase the revenues
without Legislative action.
| Two wears ago, in order to give all the
relief possible to the public free schools,
| the expenses of the educational depart,
ment, Of the Agricultural and Mechanical
| College, and the medical branch of the
| University. previously paid out OF that
| fund and from the University revenues,
were taken from the general revenue,
which, to Il considerable extent, accounts
for its present inadeQuacy to meet the
current governmental expenses. dls-
cussion of the untold benefits of the eff,
| fcicnt maintenance of the public free
schools would seem To be SupCriiuouS
| here. This. now, is the question. lie
lpcatcd, the proposition is this: VIII the
legislature obey the plain mandate. of the
Constitution. or will it follow the eN'
ample of its predecessors in failing OF
emitting to do SO? There will be added
to the public schools over 100000 chill
| drcn in the next two years. 1t requires ne
stretch or strain of the imagination to
see the inability of present revenues tC
supply their demands. The schools must
lhecOmc failure or taxation to support
them must be increased.
THE UNIVERSITY.
As the cap-stone of the fine educational
system of the state, the University com
mands the admiration and alfectionatC
| regard of every patriotic
citizen who understands it,
merits. The main university building
is located ON an cminence of 40 acres
of enclosed, shaded grounds. in the city
of Austin, aud was erected at Il cost of
| $4,000. 1t is commodious, strong
neat and well ventilated structure Its
laboratories, heating apparatus. Assem-,
bly, hall, class rooms. literary and other
conyeniences are attractive. useful and
of Il high order. The chemical labora.
tories alone cost $4,000 and the ap
paratus of the physical laboratory cost
$1,000, while the geological and bio
logical laboratories have been prepared
with great skill and foresight Il rro