Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-04-22

be Increased Ae5 or more, which VIII
maintain and extend the school term
10 I'VE months or longer. In other re-
spects the great cause OF education mas
been cared for and advanced Inc
available school fund should primarily
be devoted TO the payment OF the saiar-
les OF teachers. No part OF Il should be
used except for this and strictly neces-
sary school houses furniture and equip
ments Unquestionnble abuses have
grown up in the purchase OF charts
and apparatus by local trustees az ex-
travayant prices which the department
OF education has earnestly endeavored
to arrest, aud the progress made IL
shown by the fact that expenditures
for other than salaries OF teachers were
reduced the past year t50,605.i4 Under
an act OF the legislature Of 1856 por-
lions of the school fund We're loaned
prior to the war to the Houston and
Texas Central railway company and
the Galveston, Harrisburg and san An
tonic railway company a controversy
has existed for many years between the
state and these companies ms to the
SUN due by them. the state claiming an
indebtedness OF more than one million
dollars and the companies insisting
that It has been fully discharged. Fin
nj default was made and payment re-
fused by them In 1894. anG in December
Of that year the attorney general In
stitnted suits to recover the money.
on the 29th day of February, 1895,
judgments were rendered IN the dis
trict court Of Travis county In favor
OF tho state against the companies for
the aggregate amount OF one million
two hundred thousand Isl, 200, 000) doll
lars from which appeals were taken. II
Is also particularly gratifying that the
interests OF higher education have ma
terlally progressed, that the normal
schools. the Agricultural and Mechanl-
cal college and the University are in
prosperous condition. with an In
creased average attendance, and that
every reasonable effort has been made
to Increase their efficiency and pro-
mote their growth. Under laws passed
by the Twenty-fourth legislature the
regents may now elect president Of
the University. the sale and lease Of
lands belonging 10 the university are
confded 20 the regents and notwlth-
standing the etringency of the times,
the appropriation out of the general
revenue for its support the current
two years exceeded that for the pre-
ceding term by sl6.5O0 and. including
the medical branch, by $685.
When Governor Roberts assumed Of
fee in 1879. after the constitution OF
1876 had become fairly operative. there
was deficit in the general revenue of
100000, The ad valorem tax rate was
so cents for all purposes, 81 LIZ cents
for general and IL f-2 cents for school
account. The tax rate being at this
figure he recommended that the de-
felt be met by reducing expenses
100000, the issue and sale of s200.0O0
state bonds, and the imposition and
increase of special taxes. Accordingly
expenses were greatly reduced, $500, 900
thirty year per cent bonds were Is
gfaf4fl n 80 InApfapy4xr tn,
enue, and are still outstanding. spe-
cial taxes were imposed and in
creased, and the ad valorem tax rate
remained at 30 cents for the years 1879
and 1850. In his second term the rate
was 40 cents for 1881 and 30 cents for
1882, one-fourth OF which was for
school purposes During the Ireland
Martln-Gibbs administration the rate
was 30 cents for 1888, one-fourth for
schools; II liz cents for 1884. 25 cents
for 1856. and Is cents for 1886 for gem
eral purposes alone. In 1887, the first
year of Governor Ross. the rate for
general purposes was % cents. In 1883
the federal government paid into the
state treasury 1922, 5if so az an In
demnity for frontier protection. which
was used as general revenue and occa-
stoned reduction to taxation to 10
cents for that year. This rate was in
creased In his second term to 20 cents
for the years 1889 and 1890 For the four
years of Governor Hogg the rate was
l6 2-3 cents for 1891. and Is cents for
1892, 1898 and 1894 From 1884 TO 1895
there was also tax OF ~ IL cents for
school purposes. Previous deficiencies
caused the issue OF bonds and in
creases OF special taxes under Governor
Roberts. In 1885 there was deficit in
general revenue of 100000 under Gov
ernor Ireland. In 1855 and 1853 dis
onrsements exceeded receipts from tax
alton OF those years, which was met
With the frontier indemnity fund and
surplus on hand from 1856 and 1881
Deficiencies also occurred In 1892, 1893
and 1894. That the deficiencies existed
in these several cases does not estab-
lish or tend to establish extravagance
ON the contrary. under Governor Ross
Tor instance. 1t was due to the reduc-
ton OF taxation from % cents to 10
and 20 cents. and the extraordinary
demands, such as the defcit OF s279. 600
paid In 1881 the establishment of the
Reformatory. Deaf and Dumb ASYLUM
for Colored Youths. Orphan Asylum
Commission of Appeals. relief Of
drouth sufferers, furnishing the cap
ltol and establishing the North Texas
Asylum. paid in 1887 and 1888, and ag-
including the deficit s7g7. =
300, The deficit In the general fund IN
der Governor Hogg. existing when the
present administration assumed con-
troll, amounted to S7SS.000 and the
rate of taxation was Is cents. This
deficiency was produced by the reduc-
tlon of taxation. which was made
without the recommendation OF Gov
ernor Hogg, and against his judgment.
the payment of the deficit from the
preceding administration. the DISCHARGE
OF portion Of the public debt and
OF permanent public
buildings and improvements. The prac-
teal reduction OF taxation was cents
on the 500 for four years, and with
the average taxable values of $685.
900, 900 for those years would amount 10
81, $4,000. The expenditures for the
four years were not reduced tha to~.
able values did not increase so as to
apprecinbly affect receipts and the
revenue was reduced Aa2,500 annually
by lowering the tax rate, less the
cost OF collection. Had the rate of tax
alton not been decreased there would
have been surplus instead OF n de-
iicit. Besides this. deficit OF 1880
from the preceding administration and
state bonds amounting to SEAS, 700 were
discharged. and public buildings erect
cd at a cost exceeding $4,000 AT the
opening of the campaign In May. 1894
the comptroller reported a deficit Of
1902 900, and l favored reduction OF
expenditures to meet 1t, saying at Car
land. IAN Increase of taxation would
be indefensible unless imperatiysly de-
mandcd to carry on the government
under the most economical basis nos
sihlo.' In September following this Of