The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 45, July 1941 - April, 1942 Page: 40

Southwestern Historical Quarterly

on the lives of citizens of this state."'16 The Commissioner
listed twenty-one companies, which, rather than comply with
the provisions of the law, had withdrawn from the state. To
the list of retired companies he attached his opinion: "It is
my firm conviction that thirteen of these companies never had
any right in Texas under the law, and should not be permitted
to return, although they should comply with every requirement
of the Robertson Act."
The report on banking was brief, but it afforded Colonel
Milner a great deal of satisfaction. An average of fifteen banks
a month, since his incumbency, had been organized. His report
had an oratorical flavor, reminiscent of his editorials intended
for the farmer's eye. It read, in part:
The responsibility which these enterprises impose
can not be too deeply felt. They are, in the most
sacred sense, the custodians of the people's money-
the money in a large number of instances belonging
to the moderately well-to-do, and representing the
sweat and toil of that class whom Jefferson declared
to be the chosen people of God.'57
The report ended with the information that up to March 1,
1907, there was only one examiner in the field, but that since
that time there had been two, and a third one was necessary if
the work was to kept up efficiently.
During the early 1907 session of the state legislature, Colonel
Milner, at the request of Governor Campbell, drew up a bill
providing for the creation and establishment of a separate
Department of Agriculture. The legislature immediately passed
the measure and it became a law in March of that same year.
Colonel Milner was named the first commissioner of the newly-
created office.'58
Although the new department was created in early spring,
Colonel Milner's assumption of office did not become effective
until August 31, 1907. However, gathering of cotton statistics
had been made one of the duties of the department by the same
legislature, and since ginning begins as early as June in some
parts of the state, Milner's staff was already hard at work long
ln6Report of the Commissioner of Insurance and Banking, August 31,
1907, p. 8.
'57Report of the Commissioner of Insurance and Banking, August 31,
1907, p. 15.
IssFrank W. Johnson, A History of Texas and Texans, III, 1393.

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