Journal of the House of Representatives of the First and Second Sessions of the Forty-Fourth Legislature of the State of Texas Page: 40
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40 HOSE JURNA
goes before President, then Comp-
troller General and in event of favor-
able action by these officials to Mr.
Drought for decision as to how much
or all the project can be carried out
by him. In meantime earliest possible
action by Legislature along lines sug-
gested by me in wire to Senator Stone
and Mr. Mims on last Saturday.
Necessary to place project in readiness
for action so far as State Legislature
is concerned.
Morris Sheppard.
MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE
Austin, Texas, September 19, 1935.
Hon. Coke Stevenson, Speaker of the
House of Representatives.
Sir: I am directed by the Senate
to inform the House that the Senate
has passed the following:
S. B. No. 3, A bill to be entitled
"An Act to amend Chapter 3, of the
Special and General laws of the
Fourth Called Session of the Forty-
third Legislature, and to amend Sec-
tion 3, of Chapter 19, Acts of the
Regular Session of the Forty-fourth
Legislature, to aid the Brazos River
Conservation and Reclamation Dis-
trict, and declaring an emergency."
Respectfully,
BOB BARKER,
Secretary of the Senate.
PROVIDING FOR A COMMITTEE
OF THREE TO INVESTIGATE
THE ADMINISTRATION OF
THE STATE RELIEF SYS-
TEM IN TARRANT
COUNTY, TEXAS
Mr. Farmer offered the following
resolution:
Whereas, The State and Federal
Governments have provided, hereto-
fore, funds for the relief of the dis-
tressed and needy in different coun-
ties of the State; and
Whereas, Tarrant County, contain-
ing a large city, Fort Worth, has had
allocated to it several hundred thou-
sand dollars for the purpose of reliev-
ing the distressed and needy of Tar-
rant County; and
Whereas, There has been much
complaint in regard to the adminis-
tration of these funds in said county
by citizens of the county, and many
have demanded an investigation and
correction of the grievances existing
as alleged by them in that county; andWhereas, They have charged as
follows:
1st. That the administration of re-
lief in Fort Worth has been discrimi-
natory in the rankest way. Some un-
worthy of relief have been given the
funds, while those in direst need have
been denied relief.
2d. The manner of administration
by caseworkers, whose discretion has
been the sole arbiter of relief, has
been most dictatorial, autocratic, dis-
criminatory and oppressive, and from
same there has been no appeal by the
distressed citizen.
3d. The present administrator
and former ones refused to hear ap-
peals by a wronged citizen, and do
arbitrarily refuse relief.
4th. The relief law is violated in
many respects, in that a political ma-
chine has been created, favorites are
kept in employment when not in need,
in preference to those more capabale
that needed relief; and have kept the
records secret.
5th. That the system as admini-
stered in Tarrant County has become
a racket for the benefit of favorites
with political power. One negro wo-
man and husband get $350.00 per
month out of the Government.
6th. That there has been defalca-
tions, embezzlements of public funds,
padding of pay rolls, and other mis-
uses of public funds and public sup-
plies designed for the benefit of the
distressed and needy. One white wo-
man, high up, having* her washing
and ironing done in exchange for re-
lief grocery orders.
7th. That citizens have been de-
nied access to the public records of
such relief administration as required
by law, and that same has been done
to cover up law violations.
8th. That employees have used the
funds and supplies for their own bene-
fit in violation of law, and charge that
such acts have been made known and
yet the employees have been retained
and are now on the pay roll.
9th. That employees have taken ad-
vantage of the needy, and advised dis-
tressed women to practice immorality
to get help, and that men have taken
advantage of women, and such char-
acters are retained on the pay roll.
10th. That these things have been
made known to the State Board of Re-
lief, and they have refused to appointHOUSE JOURNAL
40
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Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Journal of the House of Representatives of the First and Second Sessions of the Forty-Fourth Legislature of the State of Texas, legislative document, 1935; [Austin, Texas]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth193853/m1/44/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.