The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-01-24

CdcSS may Ue sui TcQuCtO ny
re-enacting the act entitled IAN act to pro-
vide for the payment of expenses of at
tached witnesses in felony cases" (Genl.
Laws 18th Leg. p. I'D, with changes
to conform it to the principles of the
federal statute on the subject of payment
of fees in similar cases. If the decision
in Holman VS.. State, % Court of Appeals,
212, declaring that act invalid, be adhered
to, the new statute, if properly framed in
separate sections, would still be effective
as to witnesses for the State and the
limited number of witnesses for defend
ants for which the State would pay. By
limiting the number of witnesses to be
attached on the lines indicated, the reduc-
ton of fees to be paid witnesses would
also follow. The reduction of the force
in the Comptroller's Department and in
the Land Office is recommended after
careful examination, with the aid of per-
sons having extensive experience as en-
ployes in each of them, and also in part
upon the estimate of the retiring Commits
sioner of the Land Office. The recon-
mendation as to other departments and
Institutions and items not specially noticed
is made upon estimates furnished the
Comptroller and personal observation and
inquiry of what seems reasonable and
just. Should the collection of the interest
on the school land notes be confided to the
Attorney General, the Third Office As
sistant should be retained. Under eX-
listing law and practice the State Health
Officer and the Quarantine Officer at
Galveston each receive ten dollars per
day for the entire year 3,650) and the
former is provided with a secretary at
While not engaged in the SER
vice of the State, these physicians
attend to their regular professional work,
and it is believed that the salary of the
State Health Officer should be limited
to $1,000 and that of the Quarantine
Officer at Galveston to $4,000. On the
coast the quarantine officers are paid
ten dollars per day and on the State line
| five dollars. These officials at Eagle
Pass, Laredo and El Paso receive per
diem the entire year and the coast officers
except those mentioned and one other,
receive it for six months. 1t is recon-
mended that the compensation of the
cast officers be limited to 81 200 and those
on the State line to $1,000 per annum.
There are SO judicial districts in the State
and we have a population not exceeding
100000 The Sixth District, composed
of the counties of Lamar, Fannin and
Red River, with population of 100000,
been urged that the judges who have
successfully presided there were unable
to dispatch the business satisfactorily.
Measured by population, the districts may
therefore be reduced to thirty. BY reason
of the larger territory embraced in many
of the districts, this basis of apportion-
ment may be admitted unsound
but no reason is perceived, ad,
ding ten for this inequality, why
the districts may not be reduced to
forty. The length of terms of court sup
port this view. In one district court is
only held % weeks in the year, in three
thirty weeks, in four thirty-two weeks
in seven thirty-four weeks, in six thirty
eight weeks, in eight forty weeks. The
average length of term of actual service
, does not probably exceed thirty-twc
weeks. 1t has been suggested that reap
lportionment of judicial districts may moi
be made effective within two years, wher
the terms of certain judges expire, but il
lis clear that under the judiciary amend
ment to the Constitution tenure of Office
is subordinate to the right expressly
, granted to the Legislature to in
| crease or diminish the number of dis
tricts. Educated at O. military insti
tute, and properly impressed with the val
J ue of q well organized and disciplined
[ militia, it is unpleasant to recommend
$ that no appropriation for a State En-
a campment be made for the present year
e but the demand is memorable that n,
: be AVOIDED. There are neither wars NO
d rumors of wars and the times are not pro
}pitious for extensive military parades.
: In connection with these suggestion
t your attention is especially called to tn
a extravaganza usually INDUCED in apprc
= priations to defray the contingent ex
/ penses of the Legislature. The appropr
Y ations by the Twenty-third Legislator
f amounted to $1S0,000 for per diem, etc
l. and contingent expenses, against $40
e 900 for the Twenty-second Legislature
S What is termed contingent expenses ]
s the appropriation bills amounted to 500
o 900. Daily newspapers were purchase
g at cost of $12, S05.59, apparently larg
/, numbers of officers, clerks and page
}, were employed, and the stationery a.
J. count was of such proportions q
to excite special comment, The Coz
t. stitution art. VIII, Sec. g. wisely r,
auires specific appropriations to be mad
+ and they should be so framed that SON
e definite information is given by them {
it the purpose for which the money is
d be used Summing up the matter, wit
e total expenditures the past year of 81
" 500, 3S3.43, if they be reduced !$771
e 74S25, as recommended, our dlSburS'
f ments the present year would be 81, $50
n 6351S. The estimated total receipts fC
n the next two years at the present ia
3 rate are $3,S63 ,35950, and for one yea
n are 81 1881 ,67975, or an excess of r.
ceipts over expenditures of Sill, 044.5
e This would pay expenses, but would sti
Ii leave a deficiency of $657, 2S4.91 unpr,
k vided for. An increase in the tax raj
(, is therefore imperative and unavoidable
q If the rate be increased to twenty-five
e cents for 1895 and twenty cents for 1S9l
l. at the present assessment of $S45, 00O,OC
IS the increased revenues for 1895 woul
q be SS45, 900 and for 1896, $422, 800, whicl
n with the reductions urged and the i
d creased taxes pointed out, would di
e charge the deficiency, pay our expense
l. and put the State on cash basis aftt
% the collections for 1896.
f. 1t is respectfully and earnestly r
commended that the General Appropri
Il ton Bill be passed at the earliest pract
" -, cable time so that it may be thorough
y examined and the constitutional respons
=, bilty of coordinate branches of the go
= eminent may be deliberately assume
= and discharged.
L OTHER SUBJECTS.
Gr The unexpected length of this commur
y cation precludes a consideration of oth
y matters, such as relates to the Universi
~ and it's branches, the charitable and pen
is institutions. county roads, codificatiOn