Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1920-01-19
EXTRA SESSION
OFLECISLATURE
FOR SCHOOL AID
Relief Measures for Public
Schools May Be Object of
Called Session Soon
GOV. HOBBY is ACTIVE
Investigations Underway Are
Cause of Belief

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. ia spec
ial session Of the Texas legislature is
believed imminent, particularly to en-
act legislation for relief Of the pub
lie schools of the state and the inst:-
tutions of higher learning. This much
is CLEANED from the activities and in
vestigations now under way by Gov
ernor Hobby and school authorities.
Ii was learned today that the FED
eral authorities at Washington have
supplied the governor of Texas with
resume of income tax payments for
Texas for 1919, both as to corpora
tions and individuals, and that the
local collectors of Texas have fur
nished summary Of tax payments
on incomes in excess Of $4,000.
Further than that, the state tax
commissioner, James A. King, an ap-
pointee of the governor, has drawn
three tax bills and is writing a new
brief dealing with taxation in this
state and asking the legislature to
enact bills prepared in his depart
ment.
One bill prepared by Mr. King was
at the instance of DR.. A. Caswell
Ellis. member of the University of
Texas faculty, who is also on the
teachers committee asking more
funds for the public schools of the
state. This is an income tax bill and
is designed to produce 100000
per annum. II would not tax incomes
of less than $4,000.
Mr. King is finishing bill Great
ing a state board Of equalization in
line with resolutions of the State Tax
Assessors association. This measure,
Mr.. King says, will equalize taxes
over Texas. He insists that they are
wholly unequal and that even in adj
joining counties the same measures
of assessment do not apply. This
works hardship and injustice to
thousands of citizens, he declares,
whereas a state board Of equalization
would make tax burdens equal and
uniform in every county in Texas.
There are about 500 telephone
companies in Texas, and only the
Southwestern company would be
reached in the new bill At this time
the state intangible tax law includes
railroads, ferry and bridge companies
only.
While Mr.. King has prepared the
income tax bill at the instance of the
school authorities, he is Of the opin-
ion that the enlarged intangible as
sets tax law will provide revenue with
less burdens and fewer complications.
The bill drawn by Mr.. King is pat
termed after the federal statute, eX-
cept that the minimum income taxed
is $4,000.
IL has been but few days since
Miss Annie Webb Blanton, state su-
perintendent Of public instruction.
announced that there will be a meet
ing of the executive board of the
State Teachers association in the
near future to consider the school
teacher crisis, as several hundred
schools have not been able TO open
because teachers can not be obtained
mt the salaries now paid, which are
all the funds will permit. Much diff
ficulty is being experienced by the
school authorities TO get teachers
even for the schools that are open at
this time. and Miss Blanton is much
concerned over the failure of other
schools 10 open.
Presidents Vinson of the Univer-
sity of Texas and Bizzell of the Agri-
cultural and Mechanical College and
some of the normal heads in Texas
have complained of not being able to
get enough teachers and Of the KIND
needed with the money available The
institutions first named have grown
so this session that both had TO Sc
cure deficiency allowances to pay
teachers. The university has more
shacks on the campus than ever be-
fore. and Agricultural and Mechani-
cal College had to ask that no more
students be sent them, as the school
was overcrowded.
There are 1886 students enrolled
in the main university at Austin. by
far the largest in the history Of the
institution. and total of twenty-five
ordinary wooden shacks are scattered
over the campus and used for class
rooms, made necessary bv the large
attendance and lack of adequate
buildings. With the medical college
and school of mines. the university
has an enrolment of $500.
All of the foreign matters. and 9th
ers, would be brought to the atten'
ton Of a special session of the legis-
lature. In addition to that, the gov
ernor has other matters under con-