Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1890-12-30

ne Publisher to print the laws on sheets
nd supply other papers at moderate
atcs At the same time it ia proper that
fair CONDENSATION should be paid, to be I
ixed By law. 4
II it he objected that this method Of
,nhliculion is To tlIro" patronage Int"
he hands Of newspaper owners, II
.hnnld he remembered that the Press Is
/ great factor in the education OF the
people. An enlightened public opinion
ioes more to preserve good government
han anything else. and that public
opinion is best formed by an honest and
press In this territory .
especially, on account of the diverse
languages of the people, the constituency
OF each local paper is necessarily small,
and think that thew deserve the foster
ing care of the community at large. 1t
is certain that's we'll sustained paper liz
far more independent and useful than
one whose existence is so precarious that
it has to sell ts opinions i'll order to live.
lido not believe that any community suf-
fers by giving liberal support to this
great educational agency.
One other matter connected with eals-
lative procedure deserves attention. | re-
fer to the number and salaries OF
EMPLOYEES.
OF course it is desirable that each
house should have such clerical and
other assistance as is necessary for the
prompt and orderly conduct OF its BUSH
ness. The United States statutes pro-
vIdes for those supposed to be essential,
being five in number including the chap
lain at total expense of $2l5 per day
for each house and these are paid from
the United States treasury. 1t has been
customary to employ an additional rum
Der, who are paid by the territory. This
is unoblectionable if kept within proper
/ limits. But the tendency very naturally
is to extend this number unnecessarily
and even to great excess. in order to
make places for personal or political
friends. OF course, this is an improper
use OF the money Of the people. At the
last session this extravaganza was carried
to an entirely unprecedented and un
Unsuitable extent the extraordinary spec
tacle being presented in the council
OF legislative body of twelve members
employing no less than fifteen clerks anc
sixteen other officers, while the love-
house enjoyed the services OF
similar number. Let me express thu
hope that reasonable economy II
these respects will characterize the pres
ent legislature.
have made some inquiries as to TIT
custom in neighboring legislatures as t.
this matter, and find that in Arizona
where the houses are precisely the SAM
in number as here, they employ thre'
clerks in each house in addition to thos'
, allowed by the United States, the aggre
gate salaries of the six being 1866.
In Kansas, where the senate consists o
forty and the house of 125, the senate ha
twelve officers and clerks OF all kinds ant
, three pages; and the house has fifteel
officers and clerks and six pages. Tn
officers and clerks receive 50 per day ant
the pages 81.
CONTESTED ELECTIONS.
1t is to be hoped that the business O
the session is not to be interrupted b.
> any contests for seats, but If there b
such, beg to remind you that your de
cision should be prompt as well as i'm
partial, in order that those actually chosel
by the people OF the respective district
> may represent them. Elections are
6 farce if those really receivingthe majorit
of votes do not fill the offices to which the
are entitled. In the decision OF sue
3 cases legislative house sits not as as
v political body, but as an assem- blage
D judges 10 declde accofoing 10 their col GL
{ sciences on the evidence presenteu' ~
loftunately eAalhpies arc no' iho ~ " IN. "
their obligations. have allowed partisan
q considerations to influence their judy
ment and lead them to unjust decisions
. In this respect the modern English sys
1 TEN, which provides that all parliamen
: tary election contests shall be tried befor
. an impartial judicial tribunal, Is muc
2 more fair and satisfactory than our own
q The special message OF Gov. Hill, sent t
/ the legislature of New York on this sui
/ ject IN May, last strongly recommends tn
! adoption OF similar system in that State
+ OF course, we have no power to make thi
a change ourselves while we are territory
! and under congressional control, but ii
a meet the appreciation Of the Legislature
. they might memorabilia the nations
=, government to enact law giving us sue
! q system. Public sentiment threughou
q this country is evidently leaning towar
, the change suggested, and few can dout
q that more absolute justice would char
aCterize the decisions, II all legislativ
contested election cases were to be trie
, and determined before the meeting OF tn
, legislature by some judicial tribunal c
; high standing which would be above an
: partisan bias.
: - ,u..,
a shfAhAih Ahs'A'h'.
{ Owing to the delay IN receiving som
OF the reports OF officials, boards and IL