El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-06
AMENDMENT
ARE URGED
BY burgess
Says Proposed Constitution
al Amendments Will Al
ford Needed Relief.
WILL NOT ADD TO
TAXATION BURDEN

immortal DE the poem W e AZ
- Seven" the amendments tor the
Texas state constitution are composed
Of seven component parts. all bound
round with a bit of red tape which
cannot be cut without destroying the
unity of the family. Why the amend
ments should have been Jumped off in
one batch and submitted to a yes or
mo- vote Of the people of the state
upon the merits of the combined seven,
is more than representative Richard i.
Burgess can say. But in spite of this,
he recommends the amendments to the
people OF his district as being for the
good OF the whole people and urges q
large vote in western Texas on the
proposed constitutional amendments,
which viii be submitted TO the people
on July 10.
If the amendments carry at this
election, lIr. Burgess calls attention To
the good that viii be accomplished.
I The Texas university viii be provided
with funds for permanent buildings
the penIteutl2ry and charitable inStiUu-
tons viii be provided with ways Of
obtaining funds for needed improve
mentss the states line of credit will be
increased to carry on bigger things;
provision will be made for the con
struction of works TO prevent over
flows. erect bridges, build good roads
and construct, maintain and operate
warehouses All of this viii be done
without a visible increase in the tax
alton, M Burgess says. and he recon-
mends it to his constituents as a meri-
toFious movement for bigger and bet
ter things in Texas
BurEes Tells Of the Effect.
Mr.. Burgess resume Of the proposed
amendments and the effect they viii
have, If passed is
Section 40, of article three. Of the
Texas state constitution provides That
HsHH OBJ
half of the state except to supply
casual deficiencies of revenues, repel
INVASION. suppress Instruction, defend
the state in war or TO pay existing
debts, and the debt created to supply
deficiencies in revenue SHAH never eN-
coed in aggregate at any one time
section 49. as amended would read:
No debt shall be created by or on be
half OF the state except to supply
casual deficiencies Of revenue. repeI
invasion, suppress insurrectiOn and de-
fend the state in war or pay existing
debts, and no debt created to supply
Ce-lcleucIeS In current revenues shall
ever exceed in the aggregate at any
one time $500 900 The legislature,
however. shall have power to authorize
the issuance Of bonds, to be approved
Dy the governor, for the purpose II
purchasing additional ground ana
erect necessary buildings for the Uni-
TerSlty of Texas. including medical
Nt.aI -IlAtLL, an ALlcu4LuE1l ana Ne
claulCal college,, and all QeDlrrme urS
and activities Of a complete university
of the first class. The revenue re-
ceiVed from the permanent university
fund shall be available for the payment
Of interest on these bonds and for the
creation Of Q sinking fund for their re-
demptlOn at maturity, and the leEisla-
ture shall also have power to issue
bonds for the construction of necessary
buildings for state Institutions The
legislature shall also have the power
TO authorize the issuance of bonds Sc
cured by lien on the real property Of
the penitentiary system. to be approved
by the governor for the purpose Of
constructing buildings and making per
manent improvements
ut viii be noted that the changes
embodied in the proposed section 40
contain the following ideas. First
That the limit Of Indebtedness. which
may be created TO supply deficiencies
in the current revenues may equal. but
not exceed $4,000 thus increasing
the limit of this character Of indebted
ness from 100000 TO 100000. or in
creaslnE the amount $500, 900 The
necessity for greater leeway cOnvern-
ing this character of debt has been
forcibly called to the attention Of the
public at various times during the past
few years The margin which was
ampllty sufficient when the constitution
was adopted, 50 years ago, Is wholly
Inadequate in view Of the enormous
CURED In the past IS years, bringing
with it enlarged activities of the state
government and the necessity for ad-
ministering its educational. charitable
and penal Institutions on a much
larger scale. The state government
can no more carry on its business
operations on the margin of credit
which was sufficient a generation ago
than a large mercantile establishment
in FL PasO Of this day could operate
with the line of credit of 1885.
The Added Powers.
we now turn to the new powers
which viii be added to section 40, IL
the amendment is adopted First
The state has the power TO issue bonds
to acquire necessary ground and erect
necessary buildings for the University
of Texas, including medical depart
menr unless II contains Ouner pro-
vision alone should recommend the
adoption of the constitutional amend
ment unless 1t contains no other pro-
visions which are so clearly Injurious
as to outweigh the immense benefit
conferred by this provision. 1t may not
be generally understood that the Uunl-
versity of Texas has considerable land
as an endowment from which il de-
rlTes q considerable anuuaI revenue I
This revenue, however, is entirely IN
sufficient to provide at any one time
suitable buildings for the University
Of Texas, and the result has been the .
makeshift buildings which are a waste !
Of money in the long run. This annual
revenue, however, is sufficiently large /
to pay the interest and provide a sink ,
ing fund on an amount Of bonds I
necessary to provide buildings suitable /
for all time. In so far as the uni Z
versity bonds are concerned, if the I
amendment is adopted, the interest (
and sinking fund viii be paid out of I
the revenues derived from the lands I
belonging to the university, and not 4
one cent Of additional taxes Will De /
levied on any citizen of Texas.
Next. the legislature is authorized I
to issue bonds for the construction OF Z
necessary buildings for state institu- 1
lions. OF course interest and the I
sinking fund on these must be pro- I
vided for by general taxation. But /
the amount Of such taxation would /
be so very small as to 'be impercep- /
tible to the taxpayer of average I
wealth Tt is universally recognized /
that the additional buildings must oe 1
provided. The inadequacy Of state /
asylums has. for years, provoked justly, /
the Indignation Of the people and the I
press Unless the constitutional amend /
ment is adopted, which authorizes a /
bond issue, there is no way to supply ]
these buildings except by Jumping the /
cost into the annual tax levy. such /
policy is no more cOmmeudable on
the part of the state than fl would be {
for the city to undertake to construct J
school buildings, sewers, pavements |