Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-06-25
HOUSEHOLDER ON
The AMENDMENTS
CAMERON COUNTY REPRESENTA-
TIVE CALLS ATTENTION TO PRO
VISIONS OF RESOLUTION NO. Is.
WITH PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
CALLS ATTENTION TO FACT
THERE WAS PRACTICALLY NO
NO OBJECTION IN LEGISLATURE
TO ANY OF SIX AMENDMENTS.

ON. 'p'iA C'~AP
county. in the interest of the c~onstitu
tional amendment contained in Senate
Joint Resolution No. /, adopted by the
last legislature. to be submitted to the
voters of the state, July -, the follow
ing
AS your representative in the legis IL
lure | desire TO call your attention to
the proposed amendment to the State
Constitution to be submitted to the PEG
pie on July 18th. known as Senate
Joint Resolution No. Is"
This resolution passed the senate
without a dissenting vote and the house,
with only two votes against it. thus re
ceiving only two negative votes out of
Il total membership of l73.
This amendment proposes six changes
and additions to our present constitu
ton.
First. The present constitution au-
thOrizes the State government to create
an emergency deficiency of not more than
100000 for the purpose of meeting UNI
~forseen expenses arising betwecn SEES
siOns of the legislature. In the proposed
amendment this amount is raised to
$4,000 When the present resources
and expenses of our state are compared
with those prevailing at the time Of the
adoption of the present Constitution il
will be seen that this amount is smaller.
comparatively speaking. than the one
provided for at that time.
I'd. The legislature with the approval
of the governor may issue lOnds for the
purpose of providing additional grounds
and erecting the necessary buildings 50
sOrely needed by the State University.
The income from the present University
endowment is made available to pay the
interest and create a sinking fund for
the retirement of these bonds. which
will obviate the necessity of leyying any
additional taxes for that purpose.
Bird. The legislature with the apprO-
val of the governor may issue bonds
for the construction Of the necessary
buildings for other state institutions in
stead Of having to appropriate the mon
ey all at one time directly out of the
general revenue, as at present.
In the case of the penitentiary system
these bonds are to be secured by the
property of the penitentiary.
4th. Irrigation. drainage and good
roads bonds may he voted by a majority
of the resident taX-paying voters in
stead Of by Il two thirds majority as re-
CURED by the present constitution.
9TH. In the ease Of reclamation bonds
for the purpose of building protection
levees for the prevention Of overfiows.
etc. the bonding limit is raised from
one-fourth the assessed valuation to one
half the assessed valuation.
9th. The people are given power to
hold elections. create districts and vote
bonds for the purpose Of building public
warehouses in which to store farm pro
ducts such as cotton. corn. hay, etc.
when the market is low.
There has been some criticism of the
amendment because it covers so MANY
different purposes, it being argued that
the average voter can not make uD his
mind on so many things at once, but as
our entire present constitution. was vo-
ted on at one time. and not voted on
piecemea'. it is hard to see the justifica-
ton for this criticism.
There are some who profess to fear
that some carpet bag governor and leg
~islature such as existed during the re-
construction days could saddle a large
debt on the state and then flee to Eu-
rope with the proceeds but this is hard
~ probable in these days Of enlightened
public opinion.
The only other opposition 50 far.
comes from some well meaning. but over
jealous friends of A. & VI. college. who
see a bugaboo in the language Of the
amendment authorizing an Agricultural
and Mechanical department at the State
University. As this identical provision
is contained in Section 10 of Article Z
of the present Constitution il is difficult
to see how the using Of the same Ian
guage in this amendment could work
any possible danger to A. & NJ.
The point has been reached in the dc
vclOpmcnt of our state institution.
where we must either make some exten
sive and substantial improvements or
else fall far behind the rest of the states
of much smaller area. population and
wealth than Texas have buildings and
equipment for their state educational
institutions many times the value of
ours. Our fathers laid the plans for a
great educational system. but we have
dome little eycpnt i've off the frlit of