The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-08-15

ueoUeu' Hence There We're only thirty
senators, and it would seem to the ordi-
nary arlthmetician that Senator Beall
was night Twenty is two-thirds of
uulrty. 1T appears from the records,
however, that Lieutenant Governor Jes-
ter held that it required twenty-one to
make quorum (two-thirds of thirty). 1t
was his ruling, then, that sent the bill to
nhe table, and this i'm turn is made his
excuse dor working up a compromise"
Inns illustrates very well the manner in
which number of public men, who pose
ais fniends of the public schools, deal
with questions affecting them.
1t would be discreditNble to the SEN
ate, and its presiding officer Col Jester,
If it Were true THAT the rules of that body
We're so stupid that three filibusterers
could defeat measure favored by two
thirds of the senate. But in this case no
test was made. A call of the senate WAS
not even ordered. Even if Mr. TESTERS
ruling THAT lit required twenty-one to
make two4thirds of thirty, were correct,
it is still quite evident that if all who
claimed to favor THE bill had been eau
nest and true in their professions it could
have been passed. The TRUTH is, that if
| the compromise" had not been worked
up and adopted, the house bill would
have passed The politicians of the
senate would NOT have dared to return to
their constituents leaving the school
tax at u IL CENTS, even if they had been
able to do so. The truth is, therefore,
that Col. Jester, so far, is shown to be
twice responsible for the failure of the
bill. SO far HE has stabbed lit twice, once
with his little ruling. once with his little
compromise. Yet he would have the
teachers of this Static believe that he
favored this measure. The Journal will
be plain with Col. Jester. 1t cannot be-
lieve that he favored the 20 cent tax, and
only consented to a lower rate because he
thought the house bill could not pass the
senate. In fact, THE colonel took the
trouble to have spread upon the senate
journal the reasons for his vote in favor
of the compromise. Having taken the
trouble to put himself on record at the
thine, the people have the right to take
THE record thus voluntarily made by
himself, as a true exposition of his rea-
sons. The senate journal (page 400 con-
tains this statement which, of course,
was Furnished Ito THE journal clerk by
Col. Jester:
"The chair votes to increase the State
tax from twelve and half to seventeen
and three-q quarters cents ON the one hum
dred dollars, for the reason THAT this will
increase the available school fund for the
next two years about one million dol
lars, and with the enforcement of the
laws passed ait this session for the coliec-
ltiOn of taxes and accrued interest ON
land notes, the available school fund will
be augmented to such AN extent as to
furnish "a six months school," In other
words, he deliberately had placed hlm-
self ON record MS voting against the
20 cent tax, because The Gid not deem
" IN, t',t, nrI
fore them, if tire FRIENDS of the public
schools of Texas permit Col. Jester to eX-
plain away his activity in the defeat Of
this measure they will deserve the treat,
memt he has given them. The journal
hold this record up before the teachers
of this State, leaving them without eX-
cuse, if they again honor the man who
thus Gin the face of the constitutional
mandate, i'm the face of plain and un-
euuivocal official obligation, in the face
of platform pledges and campaign prom
ises." to use the Language of the Teso-
lutions adopted Icy the State Teachers as
socialtion, forced tine compromise where,
by only partial success was achleIy,ed;
We Shall see What the teachers Will do
: with him when he again stands for Of
! fee.
BUT the history of this transaction is
! turned to the house, with the senate
amendment, the house very promptly
land emphatcally refused to concur i'll
the senate amendment and demanded a
conference Senator Jester, in his com
mmicatim Ito the Journal declares that
he appointed on this committee three
! senators THAT were favorable Ito the TWEEN
ty cent tax and two THAT favored a lower
rate. The Journal hardly knows WhM
to think of Col. Jester. In the one SEN
tence he tells us THAT himself and certain
senators agreed upon the senate com,
PROMISE" and that when the senate tied
upon it, he voted for it, thus carrying
out i'm good faith his agreement In the
second sentence. after making this sltaIte
ment. he coolly informs us that he ap
pointed a majority of the senate con
ferees from among those in favor OF the
} twenty cent taX, and OF course Opposed
; TO the compromise. Now, if Col Jester
was supporting the compromise i'll goot
faith when he voted for p ill the senate
in what sort of faith was he acting Whel
he appointed a majority of senate con
ferees opposed to it? The lleutenan
Governor NAV take his time to answer
But the Journal will again be pain WIFI
Colonel Jester lit does not believe ina
he amounted on the conference committee
three sonia tors who favored the twenty
cent tax and two who opposed IT. Ih'
truth is, that he appointed two senators
who favored twenty cents, two OF th'
robid filibusters against ut, and one sen
. ator who had been absent when the vot'
was taken. Furthermore, this fltth con
fierce went AWAY before the matter was
, settled. and another senator had TO p'
appointed in his place ON the commrltee
and if is a curious fact THAT another sen
, ator who had been absent when the YOU
on the bill was taken, was appointed y
the vacancy on the committee; NOW,
Colonel Jester wished ito favor the twenty
cent tax, why did he beat about the brusl
and hunt up a man. who had not voice
No complete his COMMITTEES in the mrs
place, and why did he repeat TN
same process when he was called upol
10 fiji Ithe vacancy? Why did he no no
take a senator who had stood out an IN
p omen field and shown himself TO De II
p favor of the twenty-cenlt tax Ihe J9 2u
q noI readers may be sure that Colonel Jes
fer adopted the course he pursued Tor
!, nnrnose. The purpose was to deteat III
y q tt,r t tax and secure the enactmen
IS Of his compromise" and yet coi hoa
!. his nurrose. His course would nave pee
!. highlv reprehensible if he had STUCK q
; the omen declaration he had entered uPo
q the Senate Journal. 1t was; AT pes peS''
Z i b,at of the trust repOsed IN MN
l 4