Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1891-06-29
CONGRATULATIONS FROM LINCOLN,


To the Editor Of the New Mexican.
LINCOLN, N. M, June 24.-We are glad
to note the stride which old Santa Fe has
taken toward the trent. All honor to those
who piloted the ancient town to the front
rank. You have well said that Santa Fe
and New Mexico can no longer live upon
antiquities and scenery. New Mexico
and New Mexico towns must get abreast
with modern progress by their own ef
forts, and at once, or be hopelessly left
in the onward march of American states
and towns. In this county we have just had
similar fight on hand. The progressive
element of the county are striking out for
better things. The non-progressive are
singing the same old song. "Things rs
they are were good enough in the good
old times, why not now" The wealthy
county OF Lincoln has a court house in
the town Of Lincoln, which is unques.
tionable the poorest and shabblest court
house west of the "Big Muddy" 1t is
tumble down, inadequate and getting to
be with its rotten roof and worn out floors,
positively dangerous. The progressive
element have taken advantage OF the act
of 1891 to petition for an election July
. to determine whether the tax PAYERS
will authorize the issue of 6 per cent
thirty-year bonds wherewith to erect a
new court house. The county has a
very good jail, and therefore need not 90
into additional expenses on that score
modest, neat and adequate court house
can be erected for this sum. Neverthe-
less, the amount asked is $4,000 less
than the expense of any existing court
house in New Mexico, and $4,000 less
than is contracted to be spent bv the
new county of Eddy, which January | ,
81, took away with her but 26 per cent
of the assessed valuation of the county.
In comparison with the actual wealth
OF the county the sum appears insignif-
cant. The assessment for 1891 is ST.,
862, 200. The cost value of the property
assessed is not less than $S,00O,0OO and
the mining property in the county, ex-
empt from taxation and much of it very
productive, has cash value of much more
than over a million.
Nevertheless, the non-progressiye ele
ment are fighting tooth and toe-nail to
defeat the proposition. The outsider to
hear them would imagine that this was
the most poverty stricken and wretched
community on the face OF the earth.
Bankruptcy is the least of the numerous
evils which this element affect to antici-
pate, If the effort to give Lincoln county
respectable court house is successful. At
the head of the movement to defeat the
bonds appears naturally the town of
White Oaks, that is II years old. Ii is
among the wealthiest towns OF it's popua-
ton anywhere, but so distinguished has
it been for public spirit and public i'm
provement that it has not decent street,
never had, and has not now school
house, nor has it at any time given any
evidence OF any desire to improve any
has9s has9 . s.n". :.I .t TO which this does not
apply, and has but few.)
In the lead of the White Oaks opposi-
ton is gentleman who by the unaided
exertions of his mining partner has been
suddenly raised from poverty to wealth
The effect has been to illustrate the
homely old proverb about setting beggar
on horseback, etc.
OF course beneath the surface is the
lingering hope that at some time White
Oaks might steal the county seat from
Lincoln, provided Lincoln were deprived
of the advantage of new and decent court
house.
We beg to observe that no day will ever
dawn which will carry the county seat of
Lincoln county to White Oaks. When
that town gets railway she will become
doubtless the county seat Of new and
small mining county, partly made from
this. But her railway is apparently afar
off, and her course in public affairs and
the type OF representatives whom she has
sent to Santa Fe, do not tend to lead other
communities or the citizens of other places
to break their necks in her interests.
We have reason to expect the triumph
of progress in this old county on the I'd OF
July. The opposition are spending money,
time and breath, to say nothing of an
abundance of misrepresentation and
worse, in the effort to defeat us, but We
have right to expect a substantial VIC
tory. If won, the victory will be the be-
ginning of new era in the county. From
that date the grumblers, doubters and
non-progressive devotees of antiquities
will toka hapk c1ot opb prpuyaca uil1 no