Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-03-23
VEGAS NEW MeMcopNOAY EVENING" MARcH 42. 9os
THAT IRRIGATION BILL
Il Was Supported by Some Of the
Governors Closest Adherents but
Opinion is Divided as to His
Position Toward It.

Special to the Optic.
4 SANTA FE, March 22.-As virtus
ly all the members of the late a
sembly have departed, the capit
| city is as quiet as .the deserted i
lagos. OF course the usual amount
after talk is being indulged in, an
many explanations made as to ho
this scheme was pulled through an
how the other scheme failed.
However the late defeated irrig.
ton commission bill seems to r,
ceive most attention, the questio
generally being discussed whethe
the measurement had the unoua.
ded endorsement Of the executiy
branch OF the territorial goyernmen
or not; some contending that i
had, others that it had not, and still
others contend that it could not pos
sibly have passed the lower house
without the united support of his
close adherents-which it received
and where the friends of the Hub
bells, led by Speaker Montoya, made
the fight of the session against it
bat were defeated by only one
vote. that of Pendleton from San
Juan county, who was, up to the fin.
al vote, opposed to the measure and
who had promised to oppose and
vote against the bill, but Bursum,
the superintendent OF the peniten-
tlary, who is admittedly nearer the
governor than any other mon in
New Mexico, with Stafford, the new
travelling auditor and others, brought
SO much pressure to bear upon him
lPendleton) that he voted for the
measure on the final passage. In this
connection it should be understood
that the new travelling auditor is a
protege of Pendleton's, he having
brought him from San Juan county
Two years ago, and who was assist.
ant chief clerk in the lower house
OF that assembly, since which time he
has been clerk to the auditor and
treasurer, and has worked incessant-
" ever since his arrival at the cap
tai to have this new office created.
Pendleton was evidently made to be-
ieve that if he did not support the
measure Safford's appointment would
,e in danger.
In addition it might be well
to say that all admittedly
administration leaders Of the lower
louse (headed by the castor-bean
tatesman from Dona Ana, whose dis
rict was divided that Turner might
vhat was at beast supposed by out
iders to be an administration meas
re. ass
,rought to bear in the council by
hose supposedly nearest the execu-
i've. So if, as some few now con-
end, the governor was really
.gainst the measure and hoped for
is defeat, then the activity of his ap-
'ointees and woud-be-appointees, as
veil as other members Of his kitchen
.abinet, places him in false posi-
ion 1t is further stated by some,
md this looks reasonable, that the
executive was in favor of the bill al
most up to the final action in the
but that after it's dangerous
md expensive features were more
carefully pointed out to him, and
he changed his mind and
Luietly hoped it would be defeated.
lie afterwards appointed at least two
" three of the members on the new
irrigation commission whom the Ell
oaso twins-the active promoters OF
he defeated measure-were unutter-
IDLY opposed to-
The probabilities are that the real
provisions Of the measure, and what
ay back of it, will not be generally
Known; for the bill was not printed
ind but few typewriter copies are
n existence. In conclusion the people
ire surely to be congratulated that
his bill, under which thousanes OF |
acres of the land belonging t. the |
Territory, which should be he'd al |
most as sacred trust, might have |
been squandereo and the peopf as a
whole would have received II; prac-
teal benefit, so it matters np5 who
was behind it. SO long as the siheme |
failed.