Bisbee daily review., 1903-01-23
MESSAGE OF
 GOVERNOR OTERO
RECOMMENDS THAT FREE TEXT BOOKS BE PLACED IN SCHOOLS
New Mexico Legislature is Over wfeimineIy Republican and Will Probably Look Favorab,y on Plan

A synopsis Of the message of Cover nor Otero of New Mexico to the 35th legislative assembly which convened at Santa Fe. on Monday, January 18th. is as follows:
 The message of Governor Otero to the legislative assembly covered six ty typewriter pages of which 2l were devoted to statistics showing the in equality of assessment and taxation in the twenty-one counties of the ter ritory and which he earnestly hopes will be remedied by immediate legis- lation. In the opening of the message he refers to the rather discouraging status Of the omnibus statehood bill in the United States senate and urges the legislature that among its first acts should be a strong memorial to congress in favor of the passage of the omnibus statehood bill. He refers to the gratifying financial status of the territory, no new indebtedness hay ing been incurred during the past two years and there being a surplus. of almost a quarter of million dollars in the territorial treasury, although the territorial debt has been reduced to S1.122 900. He warns against legis- lation aimed to benefit merely sma sections at the expense of the entire territory. He recommended legislation so that S101 800 worth of per cent territorial bonds can be taken up on May l and replaced with per cent bonds. thus saving S20,O0O in interest. He also urges larger appropriation to cover the cost of transporting crlml- nais to the penitentiary or to enforce acquisitions. Repositories of terri torial funds should be required to give bonds in surety companies. Among other recommendations are that all territorial officers, commis- sions and boards be required to make reports to the governor at the end of each fiscal year; that no money be paid out by the territorial treasurer expect upon warrants issued by the auditor: that county tax col .ectors be compelled to accept tenders in partiai payment of taxes due; that an appro- priation be made for clerk for the ter ritorial superintendent of public in- struction; that inconsistencies in the school laws be remedied; that free text books be furnished the pupils or the public schools especially In the rural schools; that appropriations De made to pay salaries to the members of the territorial land board; that ap- rropriations be made to cover the cost of selecting lands for the public institutions; that the powers Of the territorial board of equalization be ln- creased so that it can remedy the de- plorable inequality in assessments at least as far as territorial taxation is concerned as a fair assessment would reduce the territorial rate of taxation by one-half; that the office or travelling auditor to be created to check up county collectors and as- sessors; that an approprlatlon pc made to enable the territory to pro tect it's interests in the ElephanI Butte litigation and to fight the Inter national dam scheme; that an appro- priation be made to help the MlmDres flood sufferers over the winter; that the game laws be amended by adolng a penalty clause, by closing the sea son for ten years for antelope, noun tain sheep and elk, and that two months season be open annually TOT the shooting of deer under certain re- s+rictions: that a local option law De nassed for saloons or that the Sunday Closing law for sa'oons be so amend cd that saloons may be open on cer- tain hours on Sunday so that the law can he enforcel strictly in every part of the territory and not as at present only in certain parts; that jaw De nassed forbidding the printing or aa- Fertisements. etc, upon the United States flag: that the legislative as sembly avoid criticism as to extra leg islatiye employees, as cause TOT coh- plaint had apparently been given by mast Legislatures; he recommends fhe creation of an insurance commits sioner; a law to prevent loafing upon the streets by youths of both sexes under fifteen years of age and to pre- vent their being on the streets after nine o'clock in the evening; the crea- tion of a reformatory, of an orphans asylum; the creation of the position of territorial engineer to select lands for the public institutions; the in crease of the appropriation for an ex- hibit at the St. Louis exposition from s2O 900 to $50 GOO; the placing of valuable and historic manuscripts and books in the congressional library a law to permit those making the geo. logic survey to enter upon private property if necessary in the prosecu- tion of their work; an appropriation for the New Mexicon Historical soci- ety; a law for the protection of hor- ticulturists; an appropriation out of which to pay rewards for the appre- hension of criminals and reappor- tionment of the territory. In conclu- sion he recommends that laws should not go into effect immediately after passage. but thirty days ehtretfO passage but thirty days after the ad- iournment of the legislature. He also recommends that party emblems be selected bv the territorial central com