Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-02-10
TUESDAY EVENING FEB. 10, 1903
LEGISLATIVE DOING


council bill. No. SO. an act to provide
means to enable the United states
land commission to continue select
ing lands for Territorial institutions.
The bill was referred to the commit-
tee on mines and public lands.
Mr.. Fail also introduced. by re-
quest, council bill No. 81, an act e.
tablishing a geological and economi
cal survey of New Mexico. This bill
provides for practically the same
character OF survey to be supported
in the same way, as is provided IN
council bill No. II, which places the
Headquarters of the survey in the
university of New Mexico Council
bill No. 81 would divide the work oi
the survey among three institutions
the university, at Albuquerque, the
school of mines at SocoTro, and the
A. & 81. college at Mesilla Park.
A brief telegram was read and re-
rerred TO the statehood committee
from the state legislature OF Aikan-
sas, announcing that both branches
of that body had passed a joint me-
mortal to the United States senate
demanding statehood for the terrific
The above from Saturdays regog
of legislative action at Santa Fe will
ries."
give our readers information of two
very important and far reaching
measures now before the council.
Nu...-tI t.Il ~. - ar-~t4A- XA-. a
levy of one quarter of a mill on each
dollar of taxable property to create
a new fund, To make a natural his
tory n geological survey OF New
Mexico. :.
1t provides for the appointment by
the governor OF FIVE persons TO ~
stitute a board OF regents.
Section 4 provides, 1t shall be the
duty of the board To organize ana
direct the work OF survey. TO be arr
ried out by the Territorial geoIogist,
and to appoint such necessary assis-
be recommended by him. and deter
mine the amount and manner of COM
pensation to be paid to ali staff Off
GERS"
Other sections provide for an ex-
pensive survey, not within the pres
ent means or New Mexico to make.
1t is a measure to furnish a lot OF
fat jobs for patriots looking for soft
places.
1t hampers the geologist. He does
not need a board of regents to tell
him how TO do his work.
These regents must go to Santa
Fe. from long distances n New
Mexico pay the bills.
They can go as often as they
please, sit as long as they wish and
travel and eat, at the public expense
They determine the amount to be
expenses.
What other expenses?
How many assistants?
How many stat officers?
All this is to be determined by this
useless and expensive board Of re-
gents.
Why cannot the Territorial geo
oglst do all this himself.
Why call in an expensive board.
with a soft snap, to appoint assis-
tants whom the ~geologist recon-
mends?
Let him select and appoint his
own assistants.
The bill says. the object of the
survey shall be to make an exami-
nation of the geological structure OF
the Territory, including the position
and distribution of the various roca
strata, with particular reference to
their richness in coils, ores, clays.
natural fertilizers. building stone.
water, oils. gas, and all useful, ana
economic products"
This is only a part of the dozen or
more things TO be done by his board
and its assistants and all al the eA
pense of New Mexico.
The Optic believes in a provision
for the appointment of a g~eoiogiss.
1t is opposed to any board, and to
such an extended and expensive sys-
tenn as council bill No. II, calls Tor.
A department of geology, with a
competent g~eologist, whose duty ii
shall be to aid in the development
of our mineral resources is all right.
Such a department does net need
a board of regents.
New Mexico is already burdened
with too many Institutions, and
should consolidate rather than create
more.
We do not oppose a good. com
penrent ~geologist, with defined duties,
and power to appoint a limited num-
Der of competent assistants, to co
operate with the prospectors already
at work in the hills and mountains.
Let him carry on his work in his
own WY and instead OF scattering
his efforts over q wide field too grea
to work, let him 4or the present be
confined to our mineral