Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-09-06
BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION
Members of the Board Seek Informal
tiOn-President Manzanares
Makes keply.

Correspondence New Mexican.
East Las Vegas, Sept. 5.-President
Manzanares, of the New Mexico Bureau
of Immigration, is in receipt of a letter
signed by Francis Downs, of Santa Fe,
and A. j. Loomis, of Silver City, seeking
information concerning the organization
of the board as it at present exists. The
communication alleges that the meeting
of the newly appointed board held at AL
buquerque on the second Monday in JAN
uary last was illegal, because the statute
specifically states that such frat meeting
for the purpose of organizing and electing
officers shall be held at the capital of the
territory; also that it was illegal because
there were in attendance only nine mem
bers of the board, less than a quorum.
The letter also sets forth that:
Section 1899 of the Com. Laws of New
Mexico provides that the members of the
board shall serve without compensation
yet the purported secretary of said board
is member of the same, and in violation
or the law above cited, has been receiv-
ing a salary of $75 per month upon his
own certificate, when the law requires
that the warrants drawn upon the moneys
appropriated for this purpose shall only
issue upon the certificate of the pres.
ident of said board. *
"We, therefore, respectfully suggest,
that no more moneys be paid out for
salary of this secretary of the Bureau of
immigration, or for any other purpose
until there has been regular meeting OF
said bureau, and these matters investi-
gated"
PRESIDENT MANzANAREs' REPLY
In response to the communication
above referred to Mr.. Manzanares has
forwarded to Messrs. Downs and LOOMS
the following letter:
Messrs. Francis Downs and A. J. LOOMS
Santa Fe n NJ.
East Las Vegas, N. M, Sept. 3.-Gen-
tlemen: The substance of your communi-
cation of the 29th ult. is certainly news to
me, and If your version of the case is cor
rect, the Board of immigration of the
territory has been acting illegally since
its drst organization, probably guided by
what has seemed to be good policy and
the promotion of the best interests of the
organization, rather than by statute, II
the law is deficient; and I think that Gus.
tom, if consistent and efficient, becomes
forcibly good law, in the absence OF
good laws to govern us.
Now regarding the salary of the secre
tary, who know performs nearly all OF
the labor expected of, or assigned to the
board, it has been customary to assign
him moderate compensation in partial
payment for his services to the public
whether he be member of the board
acting in the capacity of secretary or not
and can not see any improperly in this
whether the law specifically provides fol
it or not. As take it, there is not sane
citizen of New Mexico that can properly
exact the efficient service for the perform.
ance of the labors that have usually been
assigned to the secretary without some
compensation; but shall be glad to see
some good, patriotic and we'll qualified
citizen volunteer his services, that will
perform gratis all the duties fully expec'
ted of him, in which case, shall be the
first to propose to dispense with the sal.
airy, and apply the money for other useful
purposes.
Regarding the illegality of the proceed
ings of the last meeting of the board and
the election of officers to which you al
lude, am ready to cheerfully abdicate
and shall be glad to see in my place, one
that can accomplish much more than I
can; m y hands are full any way, ard
have to answer so many inquiries as
president of the board, that if am re-
lieved of these duties, I will appreciate it
highly.
I shall be glad to have You communi-
cate with other members and suggest a
meeting at which the matters you COM
plain of can be discussed.
Yours truly, F. A. MANzANAREs.