Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-05-13
beruRms AND sEFoRMERs.

INT aftlcle by iuc ~AibtQ"eiAtc W.
respondent Of The Ortic, published IN
another column, furnishes the text for
an interesting and profitable sermon
10 understand the situation In Sando-
val county It Is necessary 10 tax a
retrospective view of the events Of
the past three months in that county
and the county of Bernaiillo as well.
Many Las Vegans are more or les IA
miliar with the struggle Of the citizens
of the Duke City to secure the diyis-
ion of the county. Beth papers sup
| ported the division movement and the
| people were practically a unit for It.
| Prominent people Of Albuquerque went
to Santa Fe in iocks and when the
division bill passed unanimously, they
fondly imagined they had been re.
eponsible for the good work. The
governor and other influential officials
Of the territory might tell another
story.
But scarcely had the Albuquerque
hosts departed from the capital, when
the legislature passed a amendment,
vesting the power to appoint the Of
ficers Of the county OF Bernalillo in
the county commissioners, these being
named Ly the lawmakers. After this
the revolution. Then 1t "a that the
people ragged and the heather imag
ined a vain thing. The tax league
was formed and the members of this
charmed circle declared that the.
would resist unjust legislation to thu
last ditch. The outer barbarian.
laughed and said they would sool
quiet down. But they didn't. Through
the efforts OF the organization unjus
assessments were corrected and equal
ity of taxation was assured. Also, tn
influence Of the governor was secure
and suit was brought against tn
commissioners named by the legisls
: turc. The decision Of the case ha
not yet been given.
Meanwhile, the war had been cal
, ried into Sandoval county. There tn
commissioners were named by the go'
ernor, and there was no contest. 81
influential reformers in ~Albuquerqu'
G notably NJ s. Otero, attacked b..
! Miera and Alexandra Sandoval, til
ring leaders. The placing Of III
county seat OF the roallraad at the II
Tie hamlet Of Corrales aroused tn
enmity Of the residents Of Bernalill
Algodones and other centrally locate
towns. Suit was brought against A
& fredo Sandoyal. the commissioner
G app0intee for sheriff, and he was d
y clared Ineligible because he did II,
/ possess the required amount of prope
ty-a little thing that couldn't poss
bly, have mattered In any former cpot
of the history OF the county. The
the commissioners appointed by II
governor had a change of heart, d
posed Miera from the chairmanshI
of the board and named Fred Otter
i son OF the ardent reformer M. S. {
n ero. as sheriff. The Citizen. viii,
d had remained with the ring. had be-
given the county printing. The co
verified commissioners threw over 4
! Citizen and named the reform cha
!. pion, The Journal Democrat. Shou
Y. the suit against the Bernalillo comm
!. s%ioners be successful, the printing
that county Will also 80 TO the refor
paper. leaving the Citizen In rath
la bad straits. as an inspection OF
rs columns reveals the fact that a lar
- number Of the best advertisers ha
withdrawn their support.
II The danger.in Bernalillo and Sane
er val counties is that the people sh'
get out Of the clutches of one ri
into those Of another just as bad
!, worse. AS far as Sandoval county
:, concerned, II is almost a forego