Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-03-07
THE OMNIBUS BILL.
Alleged Defects in the Measure Which
May Render it Inope-
rative.
The Feature of "Fee Simple Tile
Some Attorneys Talk and
Others Won't.

AS is generally Known, the Zotn leSlSla-
tive assembly passed measure COM
monty known as the omnibus bill, pro-
vidng for the erection and maintenance
Of several public institutions in various
towns in the territory. Under its pro-
visions q territorial university is to be es-
tablished near Albuquerque an agricul-
tural college and experimental station at
Las Cruces school OF mines at Socorro,
and an insane asylum at Las Vegas.
Originally it was the intention also to es-
tablish normal school at Bernalillo, but
this was finally cut out of the measure.
Nearly everybody regarded this
matter as progressive step, and one
that would in many ways rebound to
the good name OF the territory
abroad and prove OF great benefit to
our people generally. Now, however, it
seems that some residents OF the terri
tory, who opposed the measure on the
ground that it would too heavily increase
taxation, for the coming two years at
least, have been reading over the law and
it IS claimed that the bill contains defects
that may render it imperative. Several
attorneys were asked Cor their views on
the subject to-day, but declined to give
them, with the remark that they might be
called upon to act, one side or the other,
in case the matter was carried into the
courts, and hence preferred to say moth
ing at this time. Another attorney said
he was opposed to Santa Feans saying
anything that might be construed by the
press and people as opposing this meas
ure; that in his opinion all Santa Feans
were glad to see Albuquerque, Las Vegas
Socorro, and Las Cruces secure these pub.
lie institutions, but that Santa Fe had
already been misrepresented in some
quarters as opposed to this bill, hence he
thought if the law was defective it should
be left for those most interested to make
that discovery.
While admitting the wisdom Of this
latter suggestion, still as q public journa
whose duty it is to give the news, the New
MEXICAN sought out another gentleman
who was supposed to have studied thu
omnibus bill closely and from him thu
following statement was secured:
GAS l understand it," he said "the al
legged defect in the bill is in this, that
while the law calls for the donation OF the
property for these several institutions tc
be made within six months from the
passage of this act, it also stipulates tina
the members of the board of regents shal
be appointed mot earlier than the lst da.
OF September nor later than the 1st da,
of October next
Now, according to this law" continued
the gentleman, "the land upon which
these various institutions are to be LOCATED
shall be donated and conveyed to tn
territory within six months from Feb
ruary %, the date of it's passage, which
would be before August % next. Tn
board of regents can not, under the law
be appointed before Sept, l, hence tn
question arises who is to receive ant
take charge of this property on behalf o
the territory? Another point is the 'fe'
simple feature OF these deeds. 1t is the
opinion of many that neither Albuquer
que, Las Vegas or Socorro can compl.
with the law in this respect. Under tn
bill Las Cruces will have no such diff
Guilty, for in the matter of the agriculture
college the law says it shall be locateC
upon tract OF land conveyed
to the territory by good ant
sufficient deed, whereas, land
, for the institutions at Albuquerque, La
Vegas and Socorro shall be donated ant
conveyed by good and sufficient dee
in fee simple"
The speaker added that while he ha
no sympathy with the attempt on tn
part of some to pick flaws in this law
still he thought. it a good idea for thos
most interested to study these alleged de
fects before going far with their prepars
tons for complying with the measure.