Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1913-07-14
RETRosPEcT.-THE PROPOSED
AMENDMENT BUREAUCRATIC.

History repeats itself. And we find
as the years come and go recurring
conditions. similar and suggestive. II
not identical, with those that existed
in former days. These conditions are
apt to be considered as something
new, when in fact they are the sare
as the old, though in new and different
raimcnt. In the fight of the years
men die and new generation presses
hard upon the heels of the old, which
knows but imperfectly, and utterly
fails to realize what the old achieved
in its day and time by struggle, sacri-
fee and suffering. If history had been
faithful and taught to the son the les
son of the sire, learned by fire and
sword, the condition that confronts
the people of Texas today, in the
shape of the constitutional amendment
soon to be voted upon, would not
exist. II the legislature, recently ad-
ljourned, had been composed OF such
men as those who constituted the
thirteenth legislature, convened in
January, 1873, there would have been
no such amendment submitted to the
people. For these men went to Aus
tin for the purpose of undoing just
such work as that proposed by this
amendment. This was the first legis-
lature elected by the people, and re-
flecting the will of the people, after
The old men know as
Ia fact that the young men as a tradi-
ton what the horrors of those recon
struction days were to the good people
of Texas. 1t must suffice to say that
when this legislature assembled It
found the state treasury empty las it
is now, and warrants hawked about
tho streets Of Austin. 1t found that
IA vast debt had been contracted, and
that millions OF acres of the public
lands had been given to railroads and
even the credit of the state had been
pledged in a large sum to railroad
Corporation. This was the condition
that confronted this legislature, and
Texas was financially and politically
paralyzed. The constitution Of 1869,
which was forced upon the people as
a reconstruction measure, contained
no restrictions upon the power Of the
legislature to issue bonds and pledge
the credit of the state. The strong
men of Texas went to that legislature
for the purpose of rescuing the state
from the hands Of its enemies and
correcting the abuses that they had
inflicted. f. ]. Davis was still gov.
ernor, with his veto power, and backed
by his horde of carpetbaggers and
scalawags and a treacherous trio OF
senators, who, though elected as Dem
ocrsts. voted with the minority, affirm |
alive legislation was prevnted. But a
mailed hand was laid upon their |
vicious schemes for further plundering |
the state, and the foundation was laid, |
deep and strong, for the constitutional !
OF 1875. That convention
met in Austin in September, 1875. /
There were giants in those days"
Strong men and true. from all over |
the state went to that convention as
delegates Tall, sun-crowned men,
men whom the spoils of office could
not tempt" There was Reagan of
Ballinger and F1ournoy of
Pickett OF Liberty, Ross of |
Henry of Smith, West of |
Travis, Stockdale of Calhoun, McCor.
mick of Colorado, Wright of Lamar, /
Num- Of Crockett, Crawford of Marion, I
Davis of Brazos and a host OF others,
equally as illustrious, and strong and
true in craftsmanship and patriotism.
These men wrote the constitution of 1
1876, which was Overwhelmingly APP
proved by the people. Section 40, ',
article of this constitution reads as
follows: NO debt shall be created by I
Or on behalf of the state except to
supply casual deficiencies of revenue,
repel invasion, suppress instruction,
defend the state in war, or pay exist.
ing debt; and the debt created to sup
ply deficiencies in the revenue shall 4
never exceed, in the aggregate at any 4
one time, two hundred thousand dol.
lars" There is no uncertain tone
about this section. II says what it
means and it means what it says. 1t
ioes not take away by proviso what
t asserts as a proposition. If what
hat section provides was good for the
state then, it is good now. Times may
change but principles never And
hat there is principle of government
involved that is deep and strong, We
nave but to compare the statesmen Of
IS76 and their work with the political
bidders who created and stand behind
resolution IS and their "bungled