Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-02-06
Ry THE POLITICAL ANALYsT


AUSTIN, Feb. g. Twenty-One
proposed constitutional amend
ments have been laid before the
legislature TO be decided whether
they will be submitted to n vote Of
the people.
Five deal directly with highway
financing and the gasoline tax.
These include the two by Sen.
Walter +. Woodul for the state
highway bond issue and permission
for the state I'd refund to counties
money spent In building state high
ways, including payment or out
standing bond issues.
Others are. One 20 divert one
fourth all occupation taxes to high
ways: 10 grant TO schools part
or the gasoline tax revenues. and
another by Mr.. Young on yelling
ton for the state to assume the
county bond issues but without
issuance OF state bonds.
Other proposed constitutional
amendments. each resolution to
cause an election for IT, decision
if submitted. include.
BY Sen. Hornsby OF Travis coun-
". to call a constitutional con-
vention.
TO allowed retired army and
naval officers and personnel to
hold public office. This offered In
both houses.
BY Sen. Woodul. to premit COM
bining ~city-county governments OF
Harris, Bexar, Dallas and Tarrant
counties.
By Sen. Hornsby. To combine or
fees of county tax collector and
assessor.
BY Sen. Holbrook. to abolish Of
flee Of county treasurer.
BY Sen. Woodul, to create nine
member supreme court.
Three others bv Sen. Woodul, IN
raise salary of the governor to
$4,000 a year: that OF the attor-
ney general to $4,000. and those
OF land commissioner. treasurer
and comptroller to $500.
By Sen. Prul, To allow the state
I'D fix salaries or all other officials
except those OF the state.
BY Rep. Donnell, 70 provide for
equalizing taxes.
BY Mr.. Terrell OF Cherokee. 70
provide for direct tax for schools.
By Mr.. Bryant, 10 exempt $1,000
homesteads from property taxes.
BY MI. Young. TO let district
court appoint notaries public.
BY Mr.. Bedford. to allow border
cities 10 vote sea wall bonds.
ley MT. Holder, authorizing state
taxes 10 be contributed ~ teacher
pension fund.
At present. notarieS public are
appointed by the same procedure
with which the elective state o.
fees would be filled for temporary
terms. and just like such officials
as the secretary OF state and ad-
jutant general are named. The
notary must be appointed BY the
governor and confirmed BY the
senate. There Ks not on record any
rejection bv the senate OF " no
taTy ever appointed: but the sys-
tenn involves lot or work and con-
fusion and seemingly needless ef-
fort.
When the legislature Is not in
session. no matter what the local
need a notary public cannot Nv
commissioned. since there IA no
provision for commissioning one IN
TINS duty until he has been con-
firmed by the senate.
The Petsch bill To modify state
Dean liquor law penalties IN con-
form To the less stringest federal
Volstead act, Is the second meas
ure toward this end. each offered
by its author to strengthen. rather
than to weaken, state enforcement.
The late sen. r. ID. Fairrhild I'm
duced the legislature 20 cut down
the prison term or those convicted
Of violating most the provisions OF
the liquor law from a minimum OF
two years 10 one year. He insisted
luries were refusing 70 inflict two
wear penalties for violations that
II the accused we're lucky enough
to get the charge filed IN federal
court would draw possibly fines or
jail sentences OF n to three
months, without branding the &C.