The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 44, July 1940 - April, 1941 Page: 267
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Southwestern Historical Quarterly and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Texas State Historical Association.
BOOK REVIEWS
Local and State Government in Texas. By Caleb Perry Pat-
terson, Sam B. McAlister and George C. Hester.
New York: The Macmillan Company, 1940. Pp. ix, 586. $2.50.
This text is the most complete general treatment of Texas
government to date and deserves the attention of the general
citizenry quite as much as of teachers and students. Consider-
able detailed and statistical information of a practical nature is
organized in convenient form and still presented in such a man-
ner as not to detract unduly from the book's readability. Gov-
ernmental organization, relationships, procedures, and powers
are analyzed, but only to set the stage for an emphasis on the
problems of government in terms of the demands that are
made upon it and the Texas response to those demands. Thus,
substantial chapters are devoted to public education, eleemosyn-
ary and correctional institutions, public welfare and benefits, the
police power and regulation, conservation of natural resources,
wild life and the public domain, the state highway system, and
public safety. Taxation and expenditures are treated at length,
and two chapters each are delivoted to the legislature and the
judiciary. Relevant portions of the long Texas Constitution are
placed at the end of most of the chapters, a welcome alternative
to presenting the Constitution as an appendix. Also, such things
as a "legislative primer," safety rules for boaters, questions on
driver's license examination, and pointers on Texas game laws
are interesting chapter trailers.
Unfortunately a number of errors were overlooked in proofing
as, for example, effect is used for affect on page 93, automical
for anatomical on p. 116, partialed for parceled on p. 369, and
island for inland on p. 481. Also, the poll tax was inadvertently
classified as a tax on motorists on p. 179, and the party state
executive committee is shown as of its former size of 31 instead
of the present 62 on p. 139. Needless to add, these are not
singled out with any intent to detract from the usefulness of
the book, which fills admirably a much-felt need.
HOWARD A. CALKINS.
The University of Texas.
{ 267 ]
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 44, July 1940 - April, 1941, periodical, 1941; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146052/m1/290/ocr/: accessed April 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.