Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-12-28

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thirty days after the adjournment, unless
otherwise expressly stated; and that is as
soon as the people Of the territory gener-
ally can become acquainted with the law
itself.
1 also again recommend that all acts OF
public importance be published imme.
diately after their passage, in order that
the people may be informed of the laws
under which they live.
And l express once more the hope that
the expenses for clerks, officers and at.
tendants of the two legislative houses
may be kept within moderate and econo.
mical limits, both as to the number OF
employees and their compensation
Every necessary assistance to facilitate
the public business should be obtained
and paid for at fair rate; but whatever
goes beyond that is unjustifiable. and
only adds to the burdens of the people.
The annual reports, which it has been
my duty to present to the secretary OF
the interior, contain very full information
regarding the territory, its government
finances and material interests; and there
fore, will not repeat these facts in this
message, but respectfully refer to them
as they appear in those reports, the last
tRo of which, for 1891 and 1892, together
with copies of my message to the last
legislature, have been furnished to each
member of the respective houses.
Owing to the voluminous character of
the reports of the territorial officers,
boards and institutions, which are to be
submitted for your information, and the
fact that several have not yet been re-
ceived and Others are in process of being
printed, will follow the example, which
has now become custom, of transmitting
these reports in few days, with some
brief comment, and of including III the
suggestions of this message only iects
of general nature.
THE CAPITOL.
On the evening of May II, 1892, the
territory suffered great loss by the
burning of the capitol building. The fire
was discovered at about s o'clock, when
a small flame was seen in one of the
domes, and shortly afterwards similar
fire appeared in the other dome.
Under Chapter 81 of the Laws of the
last legislature, 'the care, custody and
control of the capitol building and
grounds" were vested in the Capitol Gus
todian committee, and that body made as
thorough an investigation as possible re-
lative to the origin of the fire. the result
of which was to demonstrate that it was
certainly the work of an incendiary as
the two points at which the flames first
appeared were separated by substantial
wall.
Owing to an entire lack of water pres
sure on the capitol grounds, although the
service was excellent in other parts of the
city, it was impossible even to retard the
progress of the flames, and in a short time
the combustible portion of the building
was destroyed, Most of the furniture and
books and all of the documents, archives,
ETC., were saved. The loss is a sad one,
especially as the commission in charge,
for want of funds, had not renewed the
insurance.
The building was one of great beauty
and admirably adapted for its purpose.
1t i'd difficult to suggest any respect in
which 1T can be improved when its restora-
ton takes place, and it will probably be
wise to follow the original plans, without
change. Its decoration was in exquisite
taste both within and without. Nothing
has yet been done, as to its repair or
restoration, for lack of the necessary
funds; but fortunately the grounds
with their beautiful stone walls and shade
trees, are uniniured, and the foundation
of the building Is intact and these to-
gether with the large amount of stone and
other material in the walls or procured
from the ruins will tend to lessen the cost
of the restoration to a very considerable
extent. The figures obtained from the
custodian committee shows that the value
of the unlnjured portion of the building
including excavation, foundations, por-
tions of walls, dressed and rough stone.
metal and other material, is not less than
$4,000, and probably exceeds $4,000;
that the grading, exterior walls and iron
fencing cost SlS,5S0; and the land, trees
and grass are worth over $4,000; making
the value of the property as it stands
about $4,000. The expense of restoring
the building to its former condition IS
estimated at somewhat less than 100000,
and this can be materially reduced, if the
convicts in the penitentiary, who can in
no way do better service to the territory,
are employed on the work.
MILITIA.
The militia is as well organized as can
be expected under existing conditions,
We have no militia law which deserves
the name. 1t was enacted long ago, to
meet temporary emergencies of Indian
hostilities and contains few provisions
to permanent organization
of citizen soldiery. The Indifference of
past Legislatures either to the payment of
Just obligations to the militia when in the
field, or to the efficiency of the present
organization; has naturally caused dis
couragement. Yet in the face of all this.
we have a number of companies, both OF
cavalry and infantry, of which the terri
tory may well be proud.
An efficient militia is essential to the
safety of the people and the protection OF
their property. In case of any lawless-
ness too strong for the sheriff to over
come, the appeal to the executive for
protection can only be answered by the
use of the militia. For two years past
we have been entirely defenceless in this
respect and at the mercy of any gang OF
thieves or murderers who could muster
sufficient force to defy a sheriff. Several
times there has been grave danger on this
account. The last legislature did not ap-
a single dollar, with which to
or support even a corporal's
guard of militia no matter how great the
that might have arisen. / re-
joice that no occasion arose to display
this weakness, and trust that such con
dition may never exist again. There should
be a sufficient sum always at the command
of the executive, with which to meet
of this kind. The non-pay-
ment of past obligations has left the ter
ritory without any credit for militia pur-
poses, and in order to transport them to
the point of danger and sustain them
there, money should always be available.
We need a comprehensive and just militia
law providing for the organization of a
citizen soldiery, and their
government.
Representatives of the present militia