El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-03-24
MORE SCHOOLS
WILL BE NEEDED
Representative Burgess Says
New Law Means Schools
for Chihuahuita

Schools for Chihuahua and Tor
other sections Of the city, so that every
child between the ages Of and II
years can attend school for at least
120 days in each year, viii De one OF
the results locally Of the compulsory
education bill, passed al the last ses-
sion OF the legislature and signed by
the governor. The bill Is the most
important educational measure ever
passed in Texas. in the opinion OF rep
resentative Richard Burgess. who re-
turned Tuesday from Austin
Texas has never had an educational
law that even approached in scope
the compulsory education law said
FL PasO, where large percentage OF
there are $4,000 children in Texas be-
tween the ages provided in the Oil
that have never attended school. This
bill makes IL compulsory on the par
emit guardian or whoever acts in
parental capacity TO the child, 10 see
that the provisions Of the law are
lived Up 10.
Bill Was Fought Bitterly.
The bill was fought from its first
introduction TO its final passage one
Of the principal points Of attack was
that it authorized lant officers The
answer TO this was that truant off
GERS were not required TO look after
the children Of SELF respecting daIni-
lies but that the highest duty Of the
state was TO see that children VINO.
for any reason. were being Kept from
should get a square deal as Tar as
q chance for education is concerned
Another argument advanced by
those who opposed the bill was that
ir would mean q great increase in
the school facilities required, as so
many more children would attend
This is quite true, but, carrying out
the same line OF argument. why have
any schools at Jalle II the state Of
Texas Is going 70 educate its children,
let it educate all Of them This phase
OF the bill has a special bearing on
-l Faso. where large percentage OF
the Mexican children and some others
have not been regularly attending
school on account Of lack OF proper
facilities Texas has never had such
bill on the statute books and its
enactment means the greatest step
forward along educational lines that
the state has ever taken.
"Fale Advertising Bill Lost.
Tho lake advertising bill died Of
too many amendments One Of the
amendments provided that any person
circulating a fraudulent advertise
menr would be deemed guilty under
the provisions OF the act This. Of
course, would include even a neWsboy.
who might be selling a paper with
out any knowledge Of what IL con-
tanned Other amendments COMPLETE
iT changed the intent Of the bill and
1inally, in the closing hours. the pre-
Fious question was moved. This
meant a vote and the bill, no longer
subject TO amendment. was voted
down. ] think that the bin viii ne
taken up al the next general session.
revised and in better FORM.
Mining BIZ I7gIled.
Il regret very much that the amend
ment TO the mining law. fizing roy
alties on a net instead Of gross basis.
did not get through II passed the
house but the congcsted condition of
the calender in the senate made il inn
with whom I have talked greatly favor
the amendment as it would promote
the mining industry in this state
have some hope that fl viii be sub
mitted by the governor at the special
81 introduced a concurrent resolution.
which passed both houses. urging the
Establishment OF a mines experimental
station I'm Texas as provided by the
bill recently passed by congress. There
viii be three OF these stations estab-
lished each year until total OF 10 have
been established. An active campaign
is being conducted in Washington TO
see that Texas gets one Of the first
stations established"
Irrigation District Bill PnSses.
The irrigation bill. which was
drawn under the direction Of the sec
rotary OF the interior and presented
by Pc. was passed without opposition
and Is now i'm the hands OF the gov
ernor- This bill. as I understand il, is
one OF q series Of measures prepared
by the department OF the interior for
passage i'm various irrigation states to
make the legislation regarding the
IRRIGATION affairs uniform The big
gest point I'm this measure is the power
given 10 irrigation districts to enter
into contracts with the federal govern Z
meut.
This has not been possible in the
past and the new law makes possible ]
the final settlement os irriEatino pro-
Ject matters, when the time comes, for
it viii then be possible for the gov
eminent % deal directly and legally
with the irrigation districts which
have been private corporations in the
past but under the measure. may be-
come quasi-public corporations. The
law also specifies just how an irriga-
ton district is to be organized
Forests TO be Regulated.
The forestry bill is not a local ,
measure, as it provides for statewide [
forestry measures including a state {
forester and the regulation of forests |
i'm the state IT also authorizes the {
purchase Of land to be made into for I
est reserves. Il has been my idea for :
many years that the forest i'm the {
Guadalupe mountains should he made 2
q forest reserve. These lands are uni I
versitr lands and j think this can be I
done by the action of the board Of re-