Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-01-18
THE PUBLIC PRINTER LAW.

THE PUBLIC PRINTER Law.
Council bill No. AZ, can act to amend
Chapter 4, entitled Public Printer, title
xxx, of the Compiled Laws of New
Mexico, 1884," has passed both branches
of the legislature, been signed by the gov
ernor and is now law.
The first section OF the new law provides
that at each session of the legislative as
sembly 4 joint session shall elect public
printer who shall be an employee and not
an officer. Section provides that it shall
be the duty of each OF the territorial Of
ticers, including the governor, secretary of
the territory, attorney general and assist
ant, auditor, treasurer, librarian, secre-
tary of the bureau of immigration, the ad-
lutant general, territorial prosecuting Of
tcers, and all other officials, to give
all matters official of every description re-
quiring to be printed, published or bound
for the use of the territory, or to be paid
for by the territory, to such public printer
who shall do all such public work prompt
ly, and no other person shall receive pay
ment for any such printing or work, pro-
vided the public printer shall charge for
all such public printing at the rate now
allowed by the United States for similar
printing, and for binding he shall charge
fair and reasonable amount, to be agreed
upon by the public printer and the secre-
tary of the territory, and not to exceed
what is charged to private persons for the
same kind of work, or rs per cent in ex-
cess OF the amount paid by the United
States government for similar work The
bills OF the public printer shall be paid
for in warrants issued by the territorial
auditor upon the territorial treasurer, and
the territorial auditor is by this law re-
quired to audit such bills or accounts and
draw warrants therefor. Section pro-
vides that the public printer shall execute
the sum of $1,000 for the faithful dis
charge of his duties, and section says
the public printer shall hold office for two
years, or until his successor is elected and
qualified, and the new law is made appli-
cable to the public printer elected by the
joint session OF the legislative assembly
on January 7, 1889.
SPECIAL MESSAGE.
The following was presented to the SEN
ate this afternoon
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Territory OF New Mexico,
Santa Fe, Jan. Is, $780,
To the Council OF the Legislative Assembly,
Gentlemen: have the honor to re-
turn herewith council bill No. %, entitled
can act to explain an act establishing
fence law in the county of Lincoln, terri
tory of New Mexico" without executive
approval.
My reasons for the disapproval of this
bill are:
LIST. That it is directly in the line of
special legislation, and therefore in coll
PREVENTION of the act OF congress OF July
30, 1886, which provides that where
general law can be made applicable no
special legislation shall be enacted" etc.
1t will not be denied that the subject
matter OF this bill is susceptible of regu-
lation by general law applicable to the
entire territory. To call the bill an
amendatory or explanatory measure does
not change its character in this respect.
I'd. That, admitting the legality of the
bill under the act Of congress, it is defect.
i've in that it makes no provision for in
demnity for the breaking of a defined
lawful fence and devastation of the fields
and crops within. Nor does the act of
1884, of which this bill purports to be ex-
planatory, provide any sufficient or intel
ligent means for such indemnity. The
bill, therefore, if operative at all, is dis
criminative against and to the detriment
of the farmer, and to the corresponding
advantage of the cattle owner and herds
man.
1t may be plead that the common law
affords redress for such damage, but if
that be so, there is no occasion for the
passage of this, or any other measure of
this character, in addition to those now
enacted, as they would but add to the
already redundant verbiage of existing
statutes, without adding to their remedial
force.
We are striving to induce the immigra-
ton of farmers to New Mexico. The
development of our agricultural possibili-
ties IS of the first Importance to the esta-
blishnent OF permanent condition of
general prosperity in all our economic
interests. Successful agricultural develop
ment here underlies and must precede the
successful development OF
all interests and industries.
Mining, one of our greatest industries,
may be made vastly more profitable, in
act can not be prosecuted with success
md profit commensurate with its great
value and public importance, except in
with agricultural develop
nent.
Manufacturing, in all its forms, for
which we posses all endless variety and
'olume Of raw product-of coal, wood,
tone, textiles, and all the precious and
Useful metals-and which is destined at no
Instant day also to be one of our greatest IN.
lustries, is dependent for its successful
prosecution upon the fullest development
# agriculture.
In view of these premises, it is apparent ;
hat one of the first duties of legislation
$ to encourage, by all possible proper
Methods, those now engaged and coming
lere to engage in the business Of agricul-
ure.
This bill appears to me to be a depart I
ire from and negative Of that purpose and !
'rinciple, by an unfair discrimination that !
makes agriculture subordinate to cattle 7
aising, and in the interest of an industry (
which, though adapted to the conditions Of t
he past, is now undergoing radical reor- s
in harmony and cooperation /
Nth the multitude OF vocations and in
ustries that mark the higher type of
ivilized life and institutions which have
)und logdment and illustration here. o