Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-01-09

nshed and maintained At the expense OF
I the state without resortiug 10 taxation.
Injured women have been permitted TO
/ testify against their scduCers. The
7 people OF the several counties have been
4 given the power. by local vote, to amply
Z improve the public roads. Adverse pos
I session or lands has been so defned as
I 10 prevent the owners from losing their
I titles on technical Grounds. Fellow
/ servants have been defined so that cor.
I porauon employees are justly protected
I in their persons and lives from the neg
I ligence OF other employees Of the COM
I panies they serve. Unconscionable con-
/ ditions In contracts, limiting the righs
I or action, have been prevented. Rail-
I way depOts have been required 10 be
/ Kept comfortable. clean. and lighted for
the accommodation or the public. Sepa-
rate coaches on equal conditions for
white and CJlOred passengers are re
quired to be kept by the railways to
prevent threatened race troubles. The
conventional rate Of interest on money
mas been reduced from y TO 10 per cent,
and the legal rate from to per cent,
mus saving the people several millions
OF dollars annually. Express companies
have been placed under the charge,
reEuiG.ion and control OF the railway
commission. Railway laborers have
been protected against the frauds. ex-
toruons, and abuses Of guarantee and
nueilty Insurance companies Tn"
quarantine laws have been simplfed
ana enforced so as to guard the public
against epidemic and contagious dis
eases. The school laws have been re-
formed so as to Increase the efficiency
OF the public free schools The judi
ciary has been so changed and relr-
canned that cases, when they reach the
higher courts, can be speedily disposed
OF al slight additional cost. The ex-
penses Of the educational department,
the agricultural and mechanical col
lese, ana OF the medical branch OF the
state university, heretofore paid out OF
the public free school and university
FUNDS, have been betrayed from the
general revenue. The local option laws
have been so remodeled that the dis
tuFbing question OF prohibition has been
comparatively settled and confined to
limited districts. The bond debt OF
S24s'oOO incurred over twenty years ago,
has been paid.
The live stock industry has been pro-
NOTED by the creation OF a sanitary
commission TO prevent the spread OF
contagious and infectious diseases. The
mechanics lien law has been SO amend
ed as TO better protect and secure la
borers In their rights. Fraud in the
execution sales Of lands has been pre-
vented by causing notices of such sales
to be published in the newspapers.
Cheap excursions rates throughout the
state have been encouraged by ne sup
preston Of frauds among ticket scalp
trs. Franchists and other taxes have
neen levied upon corporations that have
heretofore escaped the burdens OF gov
eminent. a law to protect voters In
cities from intimidation and frauds. to
the end that they may have an unre-
strlcted, free ballot and a fair count,
mas been passed. The employment of
armed forces and private detectives and
other nonresident armed persons has
been prohibited. The direct taxes.
amounting to S205,lI2, due by the Fed
eral government 20 the people, have
been collected without agents commits
sions. Judgments for recovery Of !. 500
600 acres or land formerly illegally
withheld from the state have been OBJ
tained. The construction Of the South
western asylum has been paid for. Pub
lie educational, charitable, and penal
institutions have been erected and i'm
proved 10 thu value Of over 800. 100.
And among many other things that
may be pointed to as beneficial to the
public, 1t is but just to state that the
rate OF taxation has been reduced %
per cent, saving the people over 81 ,305,-
900; and ali the public institutions OF the
state have been operated efficiently,
without scandal, at the lowest possible
expense consistent with good order.
state Finances.
No better work can be performed
by the Legislature than to remodel the
whole financial system Of the state.
To call It system Is u misuomer. 1t
lacks every substantial element of sys-
TEN. We nave the calendar year be-
ginning January ]. the appropriations
year beginning March /, aud the fiscal
year beginning September 1, with no
clear legislative direction as to how
public accounts shall begin, end or be
kept for any period.
We have no auditor aud no consist
ent method Of balances and checks
by which abuses may be detected or
prevented BE 1t said to the honor and
credit OF the state. that up to this time
the public servants have been honor
able aud faithful. Notwithstanding the
very Indifferent system alluded to, not
the slightest suspicion has ever been
cast upon the integrity or fidelity of a
single state official nor has there been
reason for H. Aside from the safe
guards guaranteed by good business
methodist would be of great advantage
70 the public to have the apprOpria-
tons ana fiscal years TO begin and end
alike, and 10 have a complete system
OF balances and checks provided for.
Owing to the embarrassment alluded
10, ! have found much trouble in pre-
behlinE 10 Your honorable bodies a !
succinct, clear exhibit of the financial
operations az the government during
my administration. Following ! sub /
init for your consideration the financial 1
transactions of the state for each Of [
the past four years ending August 81.
Furnished by the comptroler's Very |
able boolSkeepeE:
Receipts.
The total net receipts each year from I
September l. 1890. TO August 81, 1894, /
of the state revenue fund:
Year ending August 81, 1891
From taxes 81. 100, 1873 II
From office fees. s5,l94 10
From miscellane-
ous..... "... 34O,Osl 5O-S2, 545, IT'S II I
Year ending August 81. 1892
From taxes 49,. 81, 1851, 92S 81
From Office fees 1867 80
From miscellane-
Gus ....,.,.. 3O.Ol5 S6-S2, O4s, GIL %
Year ending August 81, 1895
From taxes. 81, 1868, S57 IL
From Office fees 65,543 81
From miscellane-
ous..,. ...... LOG, 6i5 44-S2l4l, O45 SO
Year ending August 81. 1884,
From taxes. 81. sS2. GIL e.