Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-03-06

al
ness and calling constantiv ~, ..,.i,i
uoh tne executive and judicial arms a,
tne state, have no propertv hero ava
are not affected by an ad yalora,, IN
.tense OF taxes In lesser degree this
a. nisc true Of telegraph and Telephone
sUn,pAnles, with the exception Of a
sra n occupation tax, fire and life in
stata eonlpahles paid no taxes in this
she OF consequence prior TO 1894. for
ulsy mad then and have now no nron.
erty mere worthy of conslderatin,,
tney estimate their total mel assets
consisting OF property elsewhere how,
ever, at figures so fabulous as To excita
n ANA and incredullty. Their an
,h premiums and losses show that
tu, sa s oul or the state yearly from
TWO 10 three million dollars. much az "a
peing squandered in the most princely
anu scandalous salaries. perntisites
nnu aioMances known to this CONT
nent rms Issue must not be
confused or mlsrepresented. Plain
ana broadly put, II is
whether being compelled TO Increase
,aNatlon' the entire increase shall be
Iald upon property here, or divided
ness here S"si-
me danger to the public schools il
poth imminent and wide-reachIpg and
legislative delay is astonishing, There
u already deficiency of 500 900 in
me fund, and with that which is GER
tam TO accrue this year 1t will amount
70 Si,oVV'OOO ut the end OF the present
scholaslo year. Unless some action is
taken at this session this deficlencv
VIII approximate S2,225, 900 at the end
OF 1876. Arrears of interest on srhooI
land notes now amount to 81 $50 900
and unless remedies are provided for
US collection, and that TO become due
the next two years, this sum will In
mat time reach s2,5O0,000. making the
total deficiency and arrears of interest
Si.i-o'UOO. This condition of the fund IL
allowed to continue, Will necessarily
ana constantly decrease the scholastic
term, and In the end will seriously i'm
pair II not destroy tho splendid system
we have founded. The only remedy IA
apparent. even on the surface. The
school tax should be increased to the
constitutional limit OF 20 cents, and the
interest due the fund should be collect
ed wherever practicable. Notwith-
standing this alarming future for the
schools, the tax has not been Increased,
and legislation is pending substantially
stopping the collection OF interest now
que and that which VIII accrue during
the next two years II this proposed
LEGISLATION be enacted, not only viii the
usual difficulty attending postponed
collections be met, but II the rate OF
taxation be put at 20 cents 1t will only
pay the deficiency and provide scho-
lastic term not exceeding two months
each year. The constitution, after pro-
vidlng for the sale OF lands belonging
10 the school fund and setting apart
the interest for the suppoyt OF the
schools, declares that the Legislature
shall not have power to grant any re-
lief 10 purchasers thereof" and UNI
questi0nably Intended to denounce IN
definite and interminable delays. which
are tantamount to denial OF collection
and payment.
Interest IS due on land notes from
two to seven years by men abundantly
able to pay 1t, far more so than the
state can afford to have the children
grow up in Ignorance and vice. 1t is
probably true that upon investigation
n part of the 10000 interest now in
arrears should not be collected by
forfeiture proceedings because OF the
financial depression, but the amount In
this condition Is exaggerated. These
relief acts are usually passed In the
name of the actual settler, but an ex-
animation of the accounts on file in the
treasury discloses that they inure
largely to the benefit OF lawyers, mer-
chants, spectators, bankers, capital
lists and corporations. who are fully
now owe interest who draw monthly
salaries from the state against positiv,
statutory law. One corporation owes
over $4,000, and 1t would create aston
ishment to publish the names of rich
or prosperous lawyers, bankers and
capitalists who are bi-ennially relieved
from the payment of interest as actual
settlers and farmers whose crops have
failed. The relief policy should al
least be pursued with judgment and
discrimination and with some eonsid.
Grafton for the continuance and life OF
the schools.
Recommendations heretofore made
that the fees OF district and county
officers be limited and that every prac'
ticable reduction be made In eXpendi'
lures of public monies that the state
| may be put upon a cash basis with ne
| greater Increase in taxation than Is
| absolutely necessary are earnestly re-
| newed. A failure to accomplish either
| Of these purposes would be manifestly
| detrimental to the public welfare and
| Justly subject the legislature to severe
/ and unqualified condemnation. Hlgf
sounding declarations of economy are
| properly discredited. but actual re
| trerohment in these days of extrava.
gance and profllgacy would excite en-
| thusiasm. Among expenses which
cannot be reached effectively in the
appropriation bill but which should b'
| met by independent laws are fees II
examining trials. the law for whicf
should be repealed, compensation oil
| quarantine officers, which should b'
| reduced fees of attached witnesses II
felony cases, which should be reduced
Inv reducing the number that may be
/ attached. and fees of sherlffs for at
taching witnesses In felony cases
which should be reduced from $3.50 tC
81 per day. As stating definitely and
distinctly what measures II IS believed
should certainly be passed at this ses'
sion the following are named anc
earnestly pressed upon you;
ii. A validating act in grants IN
yolving railway turnouts, reserving Il
the state the right TO recover lane
where the title is yet In the companies
where the land has been transferred
through foreclosure proceedings, WHERE
IL mas been transferred In evasion q
the laws of alienation and where sult'
have already been instituted.
Reform the criminal laws pl
eo,ialIzlng challenges. provide ina
c,estions of Venue and the like b'
moi raised for the flrst time In the ap
pellate court. that judgments be az
tirmed II an impartial trial has beer
had and relieve the judges OF me pre-
,,sratlon OF unnecessary opinions
, conrprehenslve and effectiYe anti