Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-03-01
HOUSE

House substitute for council bill
No. Is opened up "A warm debate from
the very opening of the session In the
house yesterday morning. The sub
iect came up as special order on the
motion made the day before ny Mr..
Sanchez of Mora. The committee on
education, through .lr. Barnes, pre-
scented a majority report, accompan-
led by the house substitute, which In
effect authorizes the %refunding OF all
county. municipal and school district
Indebtedness accruing since January
1, 1897. up to February l, 1901. Mr..
Bateman, from the same committee,
presented n minority report adverse
to the substitute. He moved to sub
stitute the minority for the majority
report, but received no second. The
majority report was adopted. Mr..
Bateman said he was opposed to the
measure because under its provisions
certain Indebtedness declared void by
the assembly Of 1897 could be revived
and refunded. He said the bill would
be less Objectionable II it provided for
the refundIng oil all outstanding yoii
Indebtedness. He .doug. ~ better to
ave up to all the requirements OF the
~sO-called Bateman law of 1897 or re-
peal ii entirely. Speaker Read called
Mr.. Bowie 10 the chair and responded
at length to Mr.. Bateman's criticisms
Of the bill. He declared the bill was
designed simply TO remedy defects In
tue Bateman act. which years of ca.
perience had shown 10 exist. The
Dateman act, he sain. was a very OK
%cellent law in many respects, but un.
der It's operation many debts due by
counties had hcCn inyandated and
nulliled amer the circuit of the coun
ties had been pledged i'm the prem,
ises; they had been barred from pay.
ment by tae limitations as TO the time
OF presentation laid own In the Bate
man act. Mr.. Walton yielded his time
TO air, Bateman, who again spoke ear
nestly in favor OF his position, de
Tending those PROVISIONS of the Bate
man act which Mr. Read had takeI
exceptions TO. Mr.. Barnes said the
bill would AFFECT some $3.50, 900 Of In
d~ebtedness, and he was willing jus.
this once TO provide for refundinl
these accounts. but he wante,
some guide 80 the premises for Ia,
future, and Ne therefore offered Al
amendment to the bill progiding ma
any Indebtedness hereafter INQUIRE,
in violation of the act of 1897 shall b,
void and absolutely Illegal. Mr.. Al
bott agreed with Mr.. Bateman ii
many Of the criticisms and offered al
amendment providing that any ON
; Ger violating the provisions of tn,
! Bateman law shall be summarily re
moved by the governor. Mr.. Read eN
/ pressed the opinion that these amend
mcnts had been offered with a viey
to killing the bill. This was de
MED by Mr.. Barnes and Mr.. Abbott
who explained that they sought 4
prevent for all future time any viola
, ton OF the Bateman act, especially a
relates "a the provision p|rohihitin.
Z the payment OF salaries. etc, unles
2 there Is actually In the treasury Ia
q necessary money 10 make such pas
ments. Mr.. Abbott eulogized the all
and intent Of the Bateman act. an
? urged the adoption OF his amendmen.
Mr.. Read offered an amendment I
= Mr.. Abbott's amendment requirin
that so taxpayers should petition m
p governor 10 remove In case any of
Ger violates the provisions OF IA
o Bateman law in future. and IN
amendments were unanimously adop