Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1901-02-09
BoWrEs SPEECH

Speech Of Hon. Alex. Bowie oppoa.
ms passage of house bin 40 20. Civ
ing discretionary power to shcrns In
ihv appointment Of deputies
AT Speaker Before pas ing on nuv
measure TO amend thc present lay re-.
lating to the powers aud dusie. OF shrr.
ms 4 would earnestly request my Eel.
low members To carefully read rh4ptsr
o. of the compiled laws OF 1897. entitled
crimes and ofenscE. section 1898 %
1909 inclusive
particulriy desire 20 call your al.
tention 90 section 1900 Read section
tiO0.
II " commonly supposed that tho
cNar or Russia 90 the must absolute DO
tontate on earth
l want 20 ask you. gentlemen. II the
czar of Russia u invested with any
more autorratlr. despotie and absolute
power over the llyeA of his subjects
than the sherins OF the different coun.
Ties OF New Mexico possess under the
existing laW.
- not wonderful. gentlemen, that
the law has provided every possible
Safeguard 10 ensure that the person
fr.A isi -..a
power should be person vino is ac-
ccptable 10 the people where his au.
thority iS exercised
a loyal and law abiding citizen
whose eputatlon for integrity and Dc.
sire fo,' the public welfare and the
preservation of pcacc should be above
rcproRch
Now we are asked, gentlemen. % au.
thorlso one man 20 delegate this awful
authority az numorouFly and to nH
great an extent as may be- desired by
this one person or ans persons who
may influence him. gcntlemen. b. lt
unreasonable tu ask that every precnu-
ton and every safeguard should be-
USED TO require thar the persons 90
whom those absolute powers are dele
gated should be persons of good reputa-
tioi, and that the iile and Vicious and.
criminal classes OF our population
should be strictly barred from eAer.
ciH.ug any ~ those powers Gentle.
men ! DO not know 81 any community
In Sew Mexico Who desire the passnge
o. this Law.
/ have not heard Of ans shefln in
any ~ the counties OF New Mexico
who has asked for any Increase in the
powers % sheriff ! venture tn as
scrt, gentlemen. that ~ is absolutely
Impossible To invest a sheriff with aLy
greater powers than that with which
the law now Invests them. and gem
tlemcn. no community In this territory
and no sheriff in this territory desires
the passage of this law. I want 70
know FOR whose benrat a Is desired ?
Q "a
house that the change OF the law under
consideration ls specially required 90
deal with the existing state ~ affairs
at Gallup In Mckinley county / have
taken particular pains Co consult with
quite a number of the leading citizens
Of Gallup regarding this matter
have taken pains tp oonnult with the
sheriff Of Mckinley county and one
and All of those parties. tne sheriff
included. aEr,e that the powers and
authority nos vested ln the sheriR are
ample and Sufficient fur Tho fun pro.
lection ana pre- serFnfion ~ llfo and
property under an e2iErnci that may
arise. teverting tu the special case
which % has been asserted un the
| floor 90 ihis house tilt measure Or Dc.
| signed % cover. ! wish 90 rHli atten-
| lion 10 the fact that there is nothing Ia
/ the present lnw to prevent any person
or any company from employing any
] number % prop whom they may de.
sire Tor the protection Df their prop
/ crty. if they should consider at any
time that their property WAS ln danger
% attack from cvilly dip0sod persons.
whether that da~srr may bc real OF
| imaginary hut under tA.sfing inw the
people employing such guards Or
watchmen must pay for them. n you
change the eAisiinF lnw in the manner
| prescribed by house hil SO. 2g the
counties wherein the deputics hfe APP
pointed must bear lhe burden ~ the
cost ~ the wages N the deputies ap.
pointed J yield to no man IN my de.
sire for the well being welfare. the
peace and the Prosperity of our terri
tory and desire every precaution taken
f0r the preserVation ~ NE aud proper.
%. bur % seems 10 me a sff evident
proposition that the authority ans pow.
er 90 the shrriffa under the present ha
are so ample. so fuiI ana W oauulrt,
that it would hs treason to the pcOpl,
~ New McKico t1 glye them more
The wffs % D.. ~ AndrsHs who has
been suffering vith mural ia fof som,
time past, Ia recovering rHlY.