Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-01-23

Another subject to which I desire to
call your attention is that of the proven
ton of forest fires. Almost every sum-
ner, large portions of our forests are de-
stroyed by fires carelessly and negligent
ly started by travellers or hunters, and
provisions should be made to prevent
this and to severely punish those who
carelessly set fire either to the forests or
to the grazing lands.
THE STOCK INTEREST OF NEW MEXICO,
which is large one, being one Of the
largest source of revenue to the people of
this territory, requires legislation for the
protection and prevention of the spread
of disease. We have already an efficient
sanitary law with reference to the cattle
aud horses shipped, but there is no law
with reference to the bringing of dis
eased swine into this territory, and in
some of our eastern states "hog cholera"
has destroyed large sections of the coun-
try for this valuable industry, for when
this disease is once introduced, it is almost
impossible to prevent 1t from spreading,
and the danger of infection is much
greater in the arid region where irriga-
ton exists than in other places, from the
fact that the germs of disease may be car
ried by the water from one ranch to
another. I would suggest the passage of
law regulating the introduction of
swine into this territory.
The Bureau OF immigration.
The bureau of immigration has during
the past two years done some very efficient
work, and has largely advertised the re-
sources of this territory, and just at this
time wheu there is SO much dissatisfac
tion among the farming communities OF
the east. 1t is to the interest of our ter
ritory to see that it is advanced as an
agricultural, mining and fruit growing
country, as we'll as its climatic conditions
should be thoroughly advertised. The
law regulating this board should be
amended, fully defining its duties and
powers, and especially should provision
be made which requires the election to
be held in the month of January in each
year, should be changed; as an election
at this time is almost useless. The mem
bers of the board are put to the expense
of attending meeting and electing the
board of officers in January when their
terms of Office may expire at any time
within sixty days following, and must
certainly expire during the life of the
Legislature when new election is to be
held by the new appointees. The time of
this election should be changed from
January until some time in April or May.
BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.
New Mexico is to be congratulated up
on the success and advancement made in
new industry within its boundaries
during the past year. The seventh beet
sugar mandatory within the United
States was erected and put in operation
during the last season in the counties of
Eddy and Roswell, and it is an industry
which bids fair to revolutionize the in
dustrles of the territory. The farmers in
the experimental year have been able to
realize from $50 to 800 per acre on their
beets, while the amount of saccharine
matter yielded an average of II per cent,
the largest average of any state or coun-
try in the world. We have within our
territory hundreds of thousands of acres
of land adapted to the growth of the
sugar beet, and we should obtain large
immigration of agriculturists desiring to
give their attention to this production
if we only make known the results that
have been attained in the territory. The
success achieved in the Pecos valley can
be readily duplicated in the valley of the
Rio Grande and many of its tributary
streams.
While upon this subject desire also
to call your attention to the organization
of company for the erection of some
extensive dams in the lower Rio Grande
river by means of which an area of land
may bereclaimed and placed under irri-
grtion, quite as large as that recently re-
claimed in the valley of the Pecos and
equally adapted to the growth of the
sugar beet. No better work can be done
by the present legislature than to pro-
vide the means for the proper advertis-
ing of these conditions and attracting
the attention of the agrioulturist to the
desirability of seeking new home in the
fertile valleys in sunny New Mexico
where the soil yields such abundant har-
vests to the lAborer, and gives renewed
strength and life to the invalid.
There will be held during the year 1897
at Nashville in the state of Tennessee,
and in 1898, at Omaha in the state of
Nebraska, an exposition, where the re-
sources of the various states and terri
tories of the Union should be fully repre-
scented. small appropriation enabling
New Mexico to be fairly represented at
both of said expositions and providing for
the publication of pamphlets for distribu
ton would prove to be of very great
benefit to the territory, and l would sug-
gest your careful consideration of the
legislation required to see that such ex-
hibit is made, and that the resources of
orr territory are properly displayed to
the general public.
THE ASSASSINATION OF COL. FOUNTAIN.
During the past year, there was CON-
Untitled within the borders of the terri
tory Of New Mexico an infamous crime
Of more than ordinary brutality. Col. A.
]. Fountain and his little son, aged 7
years, while quietly passing from the