The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1899-01-27
LIKELY LEGISLATION.
Being by the
Santa Pc Gounty's Wants and Wishes.

county. His remarks on the subject
we're as follows:
During the session Of the 29th asaem.
bly,, secured the establishment Of an
agricultural station at Aztec. TIE ap.
preparation for the station amounted 90
5000 and il came from the amount dus
the territory from the civil war. At
that time the supposition was enter
tanned that the experimental station at
Mesilla Park would contribute 10 the
support Of the Aztec sub-station from
the amount provided by the Hatch
fond The territory made no regular
appropriation for the Aztec sub station
because il was thought that sufficient
provisions had already been made for
its main'enance. II has since devol-
oped that the Aatee station is . purely
territorial affair and not entitled to sup
port from the government statiCn at
Masilla Park. Some means should be
devised by the legislature for providing
money to be used in experimental work
at the Astec station"
Mr.. Burns has positive opinions on
various other matters Of legislation, and
he is q ot chary in expressing them. He
said to New Mexican reporter:
II do not think that moro than one
half Of the property in the territory ID
taxed. The general sentiment Of the
inhabitants is that money paid for taxes
gives no direct benefit to the people. Ol
course this feeling does aot apply to the
more intelligent class, for they know
that they derive direct benefits from the
enforcement Of the laws. / think that
bill should be passed by the iegisla
ture, providing that assessors aud col.
lectors OF taxes shall not succeed them
selves, Under the present conditions
aEsessors and collectors are prone &
cater to tax payers and thousands o
dollars are left uncOllected because thsl
imagine that property holders will Wort
! against them 10 political campaigns anC
that the rigid enlargement Of theil
duties would initiate against them il
securing further tenure Of oficS."
Governor Otero's message strongly
advocated the repeal Of the 5000 sxsmp
tion clause. The trend Of public ssnti
ment seems to bs with the governor il
favor Of repeal. The DSming Headlight
gives reasons for doing away with thr
exemption, saying;
Let us consider the effect Of the Law
Of 1893 exOmpting 5000 from the tota
property Of every head Of family. l
returns are honestly made she effect i
to reduce the taxable property Of tn,
territory and raise the rate OF taxation
No one gets any advantage oFer hi
neighbor 40 the Jaw intends and eacl
taxpayer pays as many dollars in take
AS II there was no such law. On th
other hand the Law offers a premium Oh
perjury and encourages the citizen t
evadO HE responsibility to the state
and Wheo pRn discovers h. eal. e,st.a
his responsibility in this way and kes
out Of jail he never recovera from tn
habit and never aceumulatos any prop
| erty."
. The Albuquerque Citizen adds;
This feature Of the tax laws has lon
stood as one Of the most glarinR defect
, ia New MexicO's revenue system. Their
is much talk Of giving the acts relatin
8 to taxation a general ovsrhaulinR durin
! the present legislative assembly, but th
sincerity or insincerity Of all such effort
will develop when it becomes know
what disposition 10 to be made Of th
8 $500 exemption clause"