Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-01-24
D0NA ANA COUNTY COMMITTEE.
Five Leading Citizens Sent to Santa Fe to
Look After Matters of Interest to the
People le-All Favor New County
Agricultural College Needs.


The citizens of Dona Ana county have
held two public meetings in Las Cruces
recently and as II result of their delibe-
rations, Martin Lohman, merchant. p.
IL. Cnrran, member of the board of
regents of the Agricultural college, Pat
Garret, sheriff, Jose Gonzales. superin-
tendent of schools, and Jose r. Lucero
were sent as delegation to Santa Fe
for the purpose of telling the legislative
body what the people want in the matter
of forming the new county of Otero. An
appropriation for the Agricultural col
lege also comes within the province of
the committee. The gentlemen are in
dustrious in thcir. lobbying efforts and as
they are all men of influence in their
section, they will doubtless have con
siderable effect in framing the opinions
of many of the legislators Mr. Lohman,
when interviewed by The New Mexican
representative, said:
"Regardless of politics, our citizens
are unequivocally in favor of new
county. There is no division of their
opinions, except as to detail and in de-
Gliding where the county lines should be
drawn.
"As to other legislative acts. person
ally l favor some provision that will
enable the counties to pay their Just
debts. This can be effected by change
in the levy for the general fund The
present law appears to me, from IA
business standpoint, ridiculous, from
the fact that it directs the payment of
certain sums and fees to officials and
leaves no way to provide the money
In our county, affairs are administered
very economically. yet our expenses
amount to $4,000. The law directs
that we shall levy mills for general
purposes and the levy only brings us
about $4,000. | favor a change in the
law limiting county commissioners to
the 3 mill levy for general purp ,ses and
| think that it should be allowed to run
as high as mills in some cases, but
with certain restraints. The commits
soners should first be compelled to GER
tify to board composed of the gov
ernor, auditor and treasurer or attorney
general, that it is absolutely necessary
for the county commissioners to levy
beyond 3 mills. A county like ours,
which is economically and honestly
managed, should be .givcn this permis-
SION.
Mr. Lohman has been sheriff and col
lector and more or less connected with
county affairs in Dona Ana county for
a number of years and he is thoroughly
posted on the intricate details. Con-
tinuing, Mr.. Lohman said
Speaking for Las Cruces generally.
business and agricultural interests are
in exceptionally good condition. All of
the business men have done very wei
during the past two years and the out
look for 1899 is exceptionally bright.
From present appearances we will have
plenty of water during the year, for the
snow is deep in the mountains. The
Mesilla valley agricultural and fruit
products cannot be beat and during
their seasons, apples, peaches and all
manner of fruits are shipped out of
there by carload and trainload.
''Of course we are all interested in an
appropriation for the Agricultural col
lege. We sadly need money for the
erection of new buildings, incidental eX-
penses, etc. The Morrill, and Hatch
funds must be used for specific purposes
and cannot be diverted to a general eX
pense fund. There is no use of using
only part of these funds and return
ing the remainder to the government,
simply because we lack buildings and
machinery. The Morrill, and Hatch |
funds contemplate that the territorial
government will aid the work of keep
ing up the institution and, ii unable to
do so, it is not deserving of any of the
money that comes from the government
The Agricultural college is a big insti-
tuition and it is conducted in an admira
BILE manner, but do not think that the
people of the territory in general realize
its great Importance.
"Another matter which | desire to
touch on relative to legislation is an
alteration in the change of venue law.