Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1912-07-23

an act increasing the scholastic age from
II to 20. and this bill was vetoed by
Colquitt. (Senate journal Thirty-second
Legislature, page 1224)
In his first message to the Thirty sec
ond Legislature. as governor, Colquitt ad-
vocated the abolition of the state school
tax. using the following language: 81 be-
! lieve, however, that a change in our or
ganc law should be made so as to allow
| the collection of county tax for school
purposes in lieu of the state tax" (See
Gonzales speech. title "Gubernatorial
Denial.")
AS governor. one of Coquitt's first steps
was to remove the entire board of regents
| of the State University. with one eXcep-
ton, to provide places for his partisans.
an act unprecedented in the history of
our state.
! He next caused the removal of Prof.
! Il. G.. Harris from the position of princi-
pal of the Southwestern Normal School
| of San Marcos, refusing to give any rea-
son for doing So thus bringing the spoils
of Office into our school affairs.
As state senator in 1895, Colquitt vigor-
ously opposed increasing the general state
school tax. which was advocated at that
| time, in order to give the people of the
state a constitutional term of six months
| free school. and in an interview published
| in the Dallas News of Sunday, October
| 6, 1895, in which he announces this mes
sage and condemns the teachers advocat-
| ing it, he makes use of the following ex-
preston: "The school teachers of the
| state. rule. are taXeaters and not
taxpayers They contribute the minimum
| to the support of the school system and
always demand the maximum of benefits
| in the way of salaries
At the request of representatives OF
practically ali of the labor unions of
Texas the Thirty second Legislature
passed what is known as the eight hour
law. prohibiting contractors engaged in
state work from requiring their employees
to work more than eight hours a day.
After the regular session of the legisla-
ture had adjourned Governor Colquitt at
tempted to veto this law and filed his
veto message for that purpose with the
secretary of the state blouse journal
regular session Thirty-second Legisa
ture. page 1879
As member of the state senate Col
quit vigorously opposed the amendment
to our state constitution granting PEN
sions to Confederate soldiers and their
widows.
At the time of Colquitts election as
governor Capt Il. A. Bolmes was acting
as pension commissioner. he having been
appointed to this position at the request
Of many of the eXConfederate camps of
Texas. and having previously served as
pension clerk at the comptroller's office.
his term of office did not expire until
-
governor however. after taking charge
of his Office in January was to announce
the appointment of Il. A. Buford, a young
man less than thirty years of age. to this
position, forcing the retirement of Cap
tain Bomes Colqutt now claims Captain
Bolmes was not an applicant for the APP
polntment, but this statement is denied
by Captain Bolmes in an open letter adj
dressed to Governor Colquitt published in
the Dallas News June s, 1911, in which
he states that he was an applicant, and
that his application had been filed with
ColQuitt. who had acknowledged it's re-
cept.
The constitution provides that the gov
ernor shall be elected every two years.
An election means either the exercise
by the people of their right to choose
their own officers, or it means nothing.
To say that because man has been
elected governor of this state for one
term. there is an obligation on a good
citizen as a democrat to vote for him,
worthy or unworthy, for a second term,
is to nullify the constitution and make
the election for second term farce.
The people of this state have not recog-
niZed that there was any sacredness to a
first term or any obligation on the people
to elect a man to a second term.
Governor Runnels defeated Governor
sam Houston for the goVernorship. At
the succeeding election the people of the
state elected Sam Houston over Governor
Runnels.
vote for Colquitt means vote to
approve what he has done and to endorse
the policies to which he is committed If
you endorse his record and those policies
vote for his denomination. If you do not
endorse it, you should register your pro-
test at the polls on the 9th day of July
by voting against him and the things for
which his candidacy stands.
Respectfully submitted.
V. B. HUDSON,
Chairman Ramsey Club.
-(AdV