The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-02
4 REPLY TO THE POPULISTs.

- Lev us see. In 1870 there wls
one small penitentary in Texas ana 80.
cording to Governor Davis. il was NO, ss,,
supporting and was heavily In debt VIVA,
II tne condition today? The Hnutsv;Iis
peni,enuary has been greatly enlarged: a
similar establishment has been erecrad az
husk; Harlem farm has been pnr ,haseS
the penitentiary properties OF the S.a,a ara
valued at $2,500,000; they are cut of deht !.
sen 'ooee u they have a surplus OF
stands among the fret States In the unian
IN the humane management and generous
treatment of her convicts. Certainly onr
populist friends do not base their charge m
maiadministration' upon that branch ~
the State government.
IL may be they are dissatisfied with The
aemocracys management Of the elesmosy.
nary institutions OF the State. Has the
party. which claims our allegianee hoe,
derelict to duty there? If Yea. then !.
grievous wrong has been committed and 4
strict account should be demanded by ana
rendered to the people We have in reya.
at this time institutions for the white ana
colored deaf. dumb and blind, a Confeierafn
nome. three asslums for the insane. an ar
pnans' home and a house OF correction aua
feIormatory. The democracy Is responsible
LOT the erection and present development OF
these institutions. Their aggregate prop
eIty value Is approximately s2.25o. 900
within the walls OF these institutions the
state OF Texas comfortably sustains mora
IMAM 1000 of her wards. For the sunnort n,
tnese institutions for uhe year lssi-gS IN.
last legislature appropriated $i.065, $50 The
party, In convention assembled, has prom.
lseu further development Of each of them
AMI this promise has been emphasized Nv
the democratic nominee for the governor.
snip. The growth OF these elsemcsynary
institutions during the last twenty five
years is wonderful and uneaualed by any
OF our sister States. The mauagemept OF
them offers no just ground for complai /
and populism, in its struggle for existence,
must look elsewhere for an issue
Perhaps our populist friends based their
charge OF "malaiministration" upon tho
oemocracy's management of the school in
terests OF Texas during the last quarter of
a century. 1t may be candidly admitted
that If the party has failed to do its duty
TO the children OF Texas an inglorious de-
feat should be its portion. Above all else.
an enlightened citizenship Is TO be desired
ana no political organization ought to be
tolerated that does not recognizes the i'm
portance OF public education. Let Us turn
to the records and gather the faets, On
January 10, 1871. Governor Davis in a
message to the legislature, estimated the
scholastic population OF Texas at 100 900.
of whom at least 100000 then enjoyed no
school privileges. He also stated that the
perpetual school fund, at that date. con-
sisted Of s60,25S.61 in cash; s2.75g. 73l.4l
principal and interest, due the school fund
by certain railroad corporations $40, 2Ug. 80
In United States per cent bonds; SCI 900
in Texas indemnity bonds, and $3.50 900
claimed In suits then pending at Washing
ton. He further estimated the available
school fund for the current year from all
sources at $500, 900. AT the close of the
Davis administration the scholastic popu-
lation OF the Stats was 3l3,06l; the State
available school fund from all sources for
the current year amounted to sI2S. 052 (;
the State per capita was $l.5g and the
school term averaged SO months. There
were then less than 1000 teachers In the
public schools OF the State and less than
1900 public school houses. What is the
condition today after a quarter OF cen
fury OF democratic administration? The
scholastic population is more than 720 600.
The State available school fund from all
sources for the year lS9S-99 is approx
mately sS,240.O00. The permanent school
fund amounts to 81, 900 900 in cash. $1,000
900 in State and county bonds; $500 900
in land notes while more than 26000,-
900 acres of the public school lands remain
unsold. The State per capita Is $3.50; the
school term for the present year will in all
probability average six months; there are
about 1000 school houses. which, including
the furniture are valued in round mum
bers a. sSO00,0 900 and in addition to these
nearly 1000 houses are leased for educa-
tional purpose while the children OF the
State are being educated by about $4,000
/ competent public school teachers. During
this quarter OF century of alleged NAL
administration" the Agricultural and Me-
chanical college has been developed aad
| today the value OF its property is S0OO0O,
the Prairie View normal for colored teach
ers Is valued at s15000O; the Sam Houston
normal for white teachers has been estao-
lisbed and its property is valued at $780,
COO; the medical university has been estao-
l,shed and its property is valued at slIo,-
900: the University of Texas has been es-
tablished and its grounds, buildings ana
, eo,.ipments are valued at 100000, while
for the support OF all OF these higher edu-
cationsl Institutions the Twenty u.tn les
lslature appropriated $3Si,SO0 IN auditloh
TO the income received from the permanent
funds belonging to them. In lS72 1t cost
the taxpayers 6,505.55 TO maintain the
| department of education. In 1898 the same
department. with far greater rssponsiDii'
ties. Is maintained at a cost OF less tnan
900 900 In 1875 $72S,o52 was apportioaed
nv tbe state for educational purposes, whlle
In 1Sos the State will distribute among the
neople for the education OF their children
; $40. goo more than they in turn pay in al
valorem for the support OF the pupnc
schools and for the maintenace OF the entire
Stote government for the same year.
These facts are taken from the RECORDS
J these statements are true Greater educa
! tionol development has never been MADE ID
! tho same term Of years by any government
an the globe. Populsts. in their VIA de,,
| Sire for political supremacy, have ignore'
| me facts and refused 10 reco gniEe me niess
| ,nqs whish make their State goVerhihehS 'ne
| iosst hurdensome in the American Union
Mr. Gibbs did not charge the democracy
with ..maladministrstion" when in 1891 pc
| ,orcibly said that for twenty years we
have had on an average better Sta,e
| Government than any other State ac
! IA moi charge acknowledgement when nc
saId he would go 10 his grave proud 0,
tbs yote, he had cast for Roberts, Ross anu
tIoyg The distinguished retormer oll
nnt charge corruption in 1884 wnen hs
s,Iem,Iy asserted that "extrayagance ahu
corr,,ntion" we're not TO be found 10 IN.
/ sits government Yet. as the ponuiiss'
nominee for the governorship. he wi'hno.n.s
~ Endorsement OF Governor CIloersoh
COMMUNICATIONS any year OF wa'cn
sha neonJe less than the year 1889 OF Gov.
sr,or Roberts administration OF 'ne 80