Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-04-08
Our Representatives Reasons.
MR.. BRADLEY EXPLAINS WHY HE
DID NOT VOTE FOR THE
UNIVERSITY ENDOW-
MENT BILL.
He Does Not Impugn the Motives of
Those Who Supported the Meas
ure, but Thinks the Bill
Savored of Fraud.

FROM tue Sduualla LeaueT-
MEXICO, Mo-, March 3O.-Having
been asked to give some reasons why
l voted against the bill endowing the
State University, oheerfuIly comply
with the request. I recognize the fact
that my acts were public ones, and
are, therefore, subject to the criti-
cisms of the public. Nor shall OBJ
ject to being called to account for
those acts, nor to just and fair criti-
cisms of them.
/ will first examine the bill from a
constitutional standpoint. 1 know it
is argued that representative from
the farm and fireside, from the rural
district, knows but little of the con-
stitutionality or unconstitutionality of
law; it is even supposed that he is so
ignorant of it that he should vote for
any measure that may be presented
by those interested and leave it to men
of better judgment to pass upon its
constitutionality. And yet that mem
Der was thought to understand enough
VI thaO W tdnC eth oath
that he would support it.
1t will doubtless be matter of sur
prise to some to learn that there is no
provision made in the constitution for
the support of the University but from
the Public School fund. Section 5,
article XI, of the constitution, pro-
vides: "The General Assembly shall,
whenever the Public School fund will
permit and the actual necessity of the
same may require, aid and maintain
the State University, now established
with its present departments"
This is all the provision there is in
the constitution for the maintenance
of the State University. And it is very
clear that this aid was only to be given
when the Public School fund would,
in the judgment of the General AS
sembly, justify it.
But here is measure that proposes
to take from the revenues of the State,
and that revenue in no way connected
with the Public School fund, the sum
vi 1-,OOO1VOOJ anu W u1CCL thC
on this vast sum take from the rev.
enues set apart as sacred trust for
the liquidation of the public debt.
The constitution provides (Article
", Section -444 ssThe General As
sembly shall have no power to con-
tract or to authorize the contracting
of any debt or liability on behalf of the
State, or to issue bonds or other evil
dences of Indebtedness thereof, ex-
cept IN the following cases." Three
cases are then enumerated, but it is
stipulated clearly that said debt shall
not exceed the sum of $3.50, 900 for one
year; and it is further stipulated that
should an emergency arise wherein it
is necessary to exceed that amount
the proposition shall be submitted to
the people, and then it takes two
thirds vote to make the appropriation.
No one who reads this article can be
mistaken in its provision, nor did any
one during the long discussion of the
measure in the House dare assert that
Iu0 plll was COubtlluliOudl.
But Objectionable as this bill was
from a constitutional standpoint, this
was not the most Objectionable fea-
ture. 1t bore the stamp of fraud upon
the face of it. In order to evade these
plain constitutional provisions it was
claimed that this bill did not create a
debt; it was simply certificate of in
debtedness. That is, it was an imagi-
nary debt, fictitious debt, certifi-
cate of no value whatever, only for
the interest it bore. That is, the great
debt, and pay interest on what she did
not owe.
But this fraud was not we'll conceal
ed. In the first form of the bill it was
declared that this fictitious debt
should be perpetual, but as evidence
of the fact that the trainers of this in
strument knew that they were pre-
suming upon the ignorance of the As
sembly, they coupled an honest debt
with what they claimed to be q fcti-
tious one. The institution has now an
endowment of 81, ,250, 900. This 81, ,25O,
600 was coupled with the $4,000, 900,
thus making debt of $780, 600. This
was such glaring fraud that the bill
was recalled, sent back to the COM
mittee and the 81 ,25o, 900 stricken out.
But the constitutional provision still
stands In the way; the Legislature has
no power to even recognize ''other
evidences of debt"
l ask the careful reading of section
43, article 4 of the constitution. "All
revenues collected and moneys re-
ceived by the State from any source
whatever, shall go into the treasury,
and the General Assembly shall have no
power to divert the same, or permit
money to be drawn from the treasury,
except in pursuance of regular appro-