mileage had increased to 3244, in 1890 to 8709, and in 1900 to 9991. Only two other States had a greater mileage in 1900. The eastern part of the State is well supplied with both east and west and north and south lines, many of them making connection with important trunk lines. The Southern Pacific, Texas Pacific, and Colorado Southern pass westward through the State, but there are large areas in western and southern Texas quite unpenetrated. There is a Railroad Commission, which is authorized to adopt all necessary rates, charges, and regulations; to govern and regulate traffic; to correct abuses and prevent unjust discrimination and extortion; to classify and subdivide freight, etc. The Commission has been unusually successful. It has done much to prevent pooling, and has recovered for the State a considerable area of land. The long coast line gives the State the advantage of a number of good harbors and a direct foreign trade. The customs districts are Galveston, Corpus Christi, Saluria, Paso del Norte, and Brazos de Santiago. Most of the foreign trade passes through these districts, and Galveston has become the second largest Gulf port and the sixth largest port in the United States. In 1901 the foreign trade through this port, consisting almost wholly of exports, amounted to $102,811,101.
Banks. Only one bank was chartered during the life of the Republic of Texas. In 1838 an effort was made to establish a national bank, with $7,000,000 to be borrowed in France, but the negotiations broke off. The Constitution of 1845, adopted after the admission of Texas into the Union, prohibited the creation of new banks. The necessary banking business was performed by the one existing bank and by private bankers. When after the Civil War the ‘reconstruction’ forces came in, a new Constitution was adopted which did not have this prohibitory clause, and in 1871 a free banking law was passed. Five or six banks availed themselves of this law, but after the reconstructionists were overthrown and ‘home rule’ again established, the old prohibitory rule was again included in the Constitution of 1875. The few State banks continued a long time, but had gone out of business by the end of the century. Because of this prohibition, national banks reached a high degree of development, and their number rapidly increased. In 1866 there were four national banks. By 1890 there were 189 national banks, and by 1902 the number grew to 339, with a capital of $25,261,000; surplus, $7,967,000; cash, etc., $9,373,000; deposits, $74,042,000; and loans, $80,755,000. There are a number of private banks, but the State takes no official cognizance of them.
Finances. The fiscal history of the Republic of Texas was mainly a record of debts, as the strained relations with Mexico demanded a greater expense than the taxable property of the young Republic could bear. The issue of loans was only stopped by the inability to float them. An investigation by the Legislature of the State in 1848 ascertained the nominal debt to be $9,647,253, to which the value of $4,807,764 was assigned, as Texas decided to redeem its debt at its actual value when issued. By 1850 the nominal amount and assigned value of the debt were respectively $12,322,443 and $6,818,798. The sum of $10,000,000 which the State received from the Federal Government canceled the debt and left a surplus. By 1856 there was no State debt, and the surplus was over $1,000,000. Several loans were made during the Civil War, but the war debt was repudiated by the first ‘reconstruction’ Legislature. The disarranged condition of the finances necessitated the issue of new bonds in 1870 and the following years. Six railroad companies were assisted by loans aggregating $2,000,000. By 1875 there was a debt of $4,644,000. But the overthrow of the reconstruction forces in 1875 caused a radical change in the financial policy of the State. The Constitution of that date prohibited any further issue of bonds, except for war purposes, as well as the lending of the State's credit to private enterprises. Because of the difficulty of paying the interest, the debt continued to grow for some time and in 1880 reached its maximum of $5,566,928, after which it steadily declined. The policy of the State has been to buy its own bonds for investment of the school and university funds. The income of the State is derived mainly from a general property tax and sale and lease of public land. Total receipts in 1902 amounted (as far as can be calculated from the accounts of 30 different funds) to about $8,744,000, and disbursements to about $7,104,000. The cash balance was $2,200,000.
Government. The Constitution now in operation was adopted by the constitutional convention held in 1875. An amendment in order to become a part of the Constitution must receive a two-thirds vote of the members elected to each House, and a majority vote of the State electors voting at a popular election.
Voters must have resided one year in the State and six months in the district where the vote is cast; and if financial measures are voted upon, taxpayers alone are allowed to vote. The suffrage is denied to soldiers, marines, and seamen employed in the service of the army or navy of the United States.
Legislative. Senators are elected from districts of contiguous territory for terms of four years, and are limited to 31 in number. Representatives are elected for terms of two years from counties or districts of contiguous counties according to population, being apportioned one to every 15,000 inhabitants, provided the number should never exceed 150. The Legislature meets biennially at a time provided by law and at such other times as the Governor may demand. If any member removes his residence from the district or county for which he was elected, his office becomes vacant. The compensation of members cannot exceed $5 per day for the first 60 days of each session, nor $2 per day for the remainder of the session in addition to mileage.
Executive. A Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of State, Comptroller, Treasurer, Commissioner of the General Land Office, and Attorney-General are elected for a term of two years. The Lieutenant-Governor and president pro tem. of the Senate are in the line of succession to the Governorship in case of vacancy in the office of Governor. The Governor may veto any bill or portion of any appropriation bill, but a two-thirds vote of each House overcomes the veto. The Governor grants reprieves, commutations, and pardons, and under regulations remits fines and forfeitures.
Judicial. The Supreme Court consists of a Chief Justice and two associate justices, who are
