Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-01-07
THE DAILY OPTIC,
East Las Vegas, New Mexico,
SAN MIGUEL COUNTY.
KICK FROM NEW MEXICO.
Catron's Legislative Bill is Causing a
Great Howl.


ocratic members of the senate are be
sieged with petitions from New Mex
leo In opposition to a bill introduces
by Delegate Catron, Of New Mexico
chan ying the method Of swearing ii
members of the legislature. Amopl
other documents received by them, /
the following, from the Territorial
commit &c, at Santa Fee:
"Deav Sir:-The New Mexico dem
ocrats find themselves again obliged I,
call On friends Ia the United State,
senate for protection against the wily
Vaccinations OF T. B. Catron, at pres
ent delegate from this Territory.
"He has passed a bill In tho lowol
house, which, If it becomes a law
would take the duties Of administering
the oath OF Office to the members. elecl
OF the Legislature from the secretary OF
the Territory, and the methods sug.
gested by Mr.. Catron's bill-to have
one member swear in another, and so
on-would cause q strife aud scramble
at every organization Of the legislature.
This scramble Is perhaps what is
sought. among other objects, as the ap-
preaching session of the Legislature ap-
pears democratic, and a scramble
might afford some questionable means
OF securing control for the republicans.
The present method of organizing leg
islatures in New Mexico, is the only
n that can be made practicable un
der our present election laws, as regis
tration and poll books and statements
of the board Of canvassers and other
evidences Of the results Of elections, are
required to be delivered to the secre-
tary Of the Territory, who is made Gus.
todian of such returns. How the men,
bers assembling can determine who is
entitled to a seat in the legislature
without having the knowledge of the
result of the election from this Props
authority, under the present law, -
hard to conceive. The bill Is simply .
scheme to ignore and override the re-
suit Of the elections when it does no.
come Mr.. Catron's way.
"Mr. Catron was satisfied with the
present method of administering oaths
for the many years that he ruled New
Mexico for his selfish purposes, but
having now an administration that he
cannot control, he is DESTROYS of arrane.
ing matters in this regard, SO that he
a by fraud or force gain control
His p~retense is that the present secre-
tary will not act fair. This is not
true, as he knows Secretary Miller W II
DO guided by the law and not iniu.
enced by him. The last legislature
was legally organized, and subsequent
investigation has shown 1t to have been
legally organized, the secretary taking
the latest and corrected certificates OF
election in every case, or an order OF
the court, with one exception, and that
was where a member elect was proven
to be under indictment for embezzling |
the Territory ; and section I. of che
ter l. of the laws of 1898 made m
ineligible to office. 10 this case, Ia
secretary referred his case to the body
rs organized, who are the judges -
qualifications of its members, and did
not seat his opponent. 1t was on the
secretary's refusal to administer the
oath of Office to this member, "a. L
Christy, since ~deceased), that tbs
eleven republican members, at the
solicitation and invitation of T. B. Cat.
ron, now a delegate from this Territory
to congress, retired from the legislative
hall, to the law Office Of the said Cat.
ron, and for four days %endeavored 70
block all Legislation and prevent har-
monious work, unless the said Catron's
ideas and plans could be carried out.
S~hotguns and rifles were produced by
these disruptionists, and sergeants-at-
arms we're ~viciously expelled by them
from said Office, when acting in pursu-
ance OF their lawful duties.
"Mr. Catron has on n occasion
previous to this organized a legislature
with shotguns, and failing at the last
session, he stealthily and under false
cover, appeals to congress to assist him
10 his bad WORK. A study of Mr..
Catron's bill reveals nothing but parti-
sanship Of a debased kind, and sure to
have a damaging effect.
"Mr. Catron's statement that the
b,ard Of county commissioners, acting
oficio as boards CT canvassers, were
functus oficio when they issued the
second certificates, is in some instan.
ces false. The courts frequently have
compelled these boards to again con-
rene and correct and amend thei. pro-
ceedings. 10 the 153sd United States
supreme court report, in the case Of
Lyon Us. Woods, the question Of the
legality of the organization OF the
legislature is raised-one OF the points
being that one T. B. Catron, now dele
gate to congress from this Territory,
has been given a seat in the council on
q second certificate. In writing the
opinion in this case, Chief Justice Full.
Ter did not say that the second certii-
cate was illegal.
"All friends of democracy and good
government should unite In defeating
the bill offered by Delegate Catron,
and the democrats will feel grateful to
their friends in the senate for their
good work in being on guard and
ready to defeat Mr.. Catron's tricky and
selfish schemes.
"Respectfully,
"ANTONIO JOSEPH,
"Cbairman democratic central commit
faa NF"-