WRITINGS OF S..\i\-I HOUSTON, 1860
419
method of their improvement. The railroad law already provides that the company for whose benefit the examination is made shall pay the expenses of the same. The law should plainly designate what the nature of the expenses shall be, and the manner in which the examination shall be made, in order to prevent cor- ruption; and also establish the fees and duties of the examining board, which can be appointed for the time being, and thus save. the State the cost of a salaried officer. I would commend the continuance of the geological surve)r, and would suggest, as an auxiliary, the establishment of an agricultural bureau, with the view of collecting agricultural statistics, and developing our general agricultural interests. It will be necessary that the Legislature provide further prose- cution of the boundary survey for establishing the line between the United States and Texas, in accordance with the act approved January 23, 1858. How far that survey has been prosecuted the Executive has not been able to learn. It remains for the Legis- lature to inquire into the manner in which the appropriation of $20,000 made by the last Legislature, has been expended, what amount will still be necessary to complete the survey, and make an appropriation for the same. I would recommend to your consideration the propriety of changing the time for the meeting of the Legislature until the 15th of December, or some early period before the time allotted for the inauguration of Governor. Our experience under the present arrangement has shown that but little legislation of importance is effected before the incoming of the new adminis- tration, and I believe the change would result in a great saving of money to the State. So much trouble has heretofore arisen in reference to our public printing, that it behooves the present Legislature to pro- vide all necessary regulations against fraud and misconstruction of the laws regulating the same. The duties of the public printer, like all other officers, should be plainly defined. The law should provide against the latitudinous construction, by which thousands of dollars may be swept away from the Treasury upon a plea of custom, and explicitly declare that the work shall not be "leaded," but shall be "solid"; and that no unnecessary blanks be allowed. The various reports of public officers printed for the use of the Legislature should be declared not to be part of the journal, and that they shall not be printed as appendices to them. The present law is defective in these respects, and I commend to the Legis- lature the propriety of amending it so as to meet not only these, but all other objections.
Powered by FlippingBook