The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-02
MIND KNOCKED OUT
~ ,he Platform Of the Third Party
With Solid Facts.
r,cl,prs GIVEN 10 PROVE THE CASE.
p.sbieIl Demonstrates the Empty
v..,ty Of the Arraignmcnt Of
the Democracy.
tpY l.. T. DAsHIELL,,

-. arst message TO the Twenty fourth
..,,.,afure. the total deficiency In the
.,,,,. school and general funds of Texas
sro,nted to 81, 455.3A9.s9 This unfortunate
,.,a Of affairs was the result OF wide
nrsad fnarcial depression which caused
large decrease in taxable values for 1864,
.srdered the people unable to pay their
..xss and prevented the collection of inter-
Y, an SIS. O0o. 900 worth of land notes be-
hanging TO the permanent school fund of
ia state. The fact that ON the aforesaid
k.tn the deficiency in the payinnt OF in
ferest upon school land notes and leases
X such lands amounted to nearly 81 .000,-
"a. and the delinquent tax lists, including
"A yaorem school ard poll, reached the
Extraordinary sum of $2,052, 765.SS. con-
cIus4,ely proves that the serious conditions
which confronted Mr.. Culberson at the
hvipning of his first term of office as
royernor were the result of scarcity OF
money and not of any previous maladmin-
)stration OF public affairs in Texas TO
The correction of circumstances which af-
lectsd the credit of the State, embarrassed
6en Institutions and created widespread
hardship and injustice. the executive and
legislative Intelligence was directed. The
democratic demand for an economical gov
errment was fully complied with.
Popuist amendments which would have
Increased public expenses 1901 900 were
defeated and the Twenty-fourth legsla-
turs passed a general appropriation bill
which was s62S,000 less than that passed
b. the Twenty third legislature, while the
Contir gent expenses of the former session
were sl72.S5 less. per legislative day, than
those Of the latter. In view of populistie
Professors. it is pardonable to state that
the records show, that, upon per capita
basis. the populst members of the Twenty
fourth legislature spent more OF the con
trgent fund than the democratic members
thereof
The Twenty fifth legislature convened on
January IL, 1897 ana the governor in his
ANNUAL message informed the members of
the house and senate that, under the laws
passed by the Twenty fourth legislature
the deficiency which had existed In the
public school and general funds on jan
harry 16, 1895, had been entirely discharged
lad TINT the business of the State was
beng efficiently conducted on cash basis
This gratifying announcement was not
productive OF legislative extravaganza.
The democratic idea of IAN honest govern
menf econ mically administered was
sricsly adhered to. The general appro-
priation bill passed by the Twenty fifth
legislature was s117,00 less than that
passed by the Twentyfourth legislature
end S745,OO0 less than that Of tine Twenty
third legislature, while the contingent ex-
penses Of the regular and called sessions
OF the Twentyfifh legislature were s15S IL
less per legislative day than the regular
and called sessions of the Twenty fourth
legislature and 1921 ,04 less per legislative
Gay thaa the Twenty third legislature.
The economy which, under executive
sufdance' has been practced by the last
TWO Texts legislatures has enabled our
State authorities to entirely discharge, in
less thar four years, deficiency OF nearly
million and half dollars, and today
iexas with the lowest ad valorem tax rate
Of any state in the American Union, has
20 the credit of her general fund $500 900.
while the increase of her available school
und has warranted an apportionment of
k4.oO per capita for the year beginning
ceptember l. 1898, The foregoing facts es-
apGsh the loyalty OF the democracy to the
n'efests Of the people and demonstrate
ne superb ability of the present governor
ma those who have been associated with
nm IN the administration Of public af
airs II may be further said that the in
uiherable record briefly referred to is
Leoay responsible for the evident dis
utesraton OF the populist party is
eAas' Realizing the hopelessness of their
ause. populists have sought to arouse the
anniui by an arrangement of the de-
nocracy" in which facts are carefully
senewed and fancies copiously incor-
orased. They "arraign the State democ-
ICY for Its maladministration of the State
Use,mnent for the past quarter of CEN
st' Let us investigate this charge and
S.ner charges made In tbs preamble of
|ne'r platform recently adopted at Austin.
Inc nrst legislature that convened afteI
'overnor Davis Inauguration levied a tax
SSA cents on the 500 for general pur-
oses and an additional bond tax OF 3 cents.
'etore this tax became effective the legis-
s.ure again convened and raised the rate
oV cents on the 500 for general purposes,
making the total rate SO cents. Notwith-
'anding this high rate OF taxation, Gov
NOR Davis found ii necessary to issue
Pusihg his administration. bonds TO the
mount OF sI50,0O0 for maintaining rangers
the frontier. and 81, 4oe,0 900 in bonds ID
'set deflencies in revenue. etc. II further
ppears in the records that during repub
sAn control in Texas the county al valo-
en- tax ranged from 81. 80 to s2.75 on the
'uV valuation Of property. At the close OF
,e'hor Davis administration the lutS
"uaed and floating indebtedness OF the
a,e was N,7a2 S94 S4. What is the con-
a.Ioa ioday, after quarter Of a century Of
shoeratic administration The State
VENUE tax Is 20 cents on TIE 500, tae
sa.e school tax Is cents, and the ayeragi
Sssnsy tax not over so ceats. The bonded
lusStedness of the Sete has been reduced
sS'ss2,oSO, OF which amount only sfot wv
70 the hands OF private individuals, tie
aainaer, amounting 10 sS,25i.o40. belongs
les permanent funds Of the University o
r.ss, the Agricultural ana Machanica
lut ors.
fse record further shows that the appre'
,rsllcns for the mileage. per diem and con
.atsn, expenses Of the frs. and secon'
sa s.Snllcan legislatures of Texas wer
spfVuV and s2S5.O0O, respectively, while tat
Npensss of tbs regular aud called SEES
.ors OF the Twenty fifth taemocratic)
stature aggregates less than sl6oooo
- foregoing facts considered in connec
~ ~ With the further startling fact that
4 quarter OF century OF democratic
emsey the entfrt State government 0
rass only costs the people annually o
40 per capita. forces us 10 conclude tina
popuiist charge OF "maladmlnistkatio ton
u4tea upon some ground other than th'
management by the democracy
Pubic affairs OF the State.