Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1903-01-20

only a .lessing to the children, but a
decided advantage to the territory in
preventing them from becoming a pub
lie charge either as paupers or Grim
inals.
Public Roads.
It is a well known fact that the on
dition of our county roads, with hardly
an exception. is lamentably defective,
The work upon them provided by law.
if performed at all is done in such a
careless and inefficient manner as to
show no results. Provision should be
made by you for enforcing the present
law, or by enacting a new one which
will accomplish the desired end. The
great difficulty seems to be at present
that there is no responsible head to
this imrCrtant department of internal
Improvement. n work or repairs
made upon roads and bridges should
be under direct supervision of the
County Surveyor. and no money should
be paid on this account except upon
q certificate from him of the amount
and character of the work and that
the party performing the same had
actually earned the money n was en-
titled to pay; and he should be requir-
ed to make a ~semi-annual report to the
board of county commissioners of the
amount, character and cost of such
work.
Library.
There are a large number of New
Mexico reports in the library. reprints
of volumes No. / and 2, and volumes
8 and 10, which under the present law
cannot be sold or disposed of, except
the few volumes necessary for eX-
change with other states and terrific
ries. There should be a law under
which the librarian is authorized to
sell these reports at cost, turning the
proceeds into the library fund for the
purchase of new books.
Rewards.
Under the present lay the executive
is not allowed to offer rewards in any
case for the apprehension OF Grimm
ais. This should be amended so as to
allow the executive in a proper case
to offer reasonable rewards, and prop
er appropriation should be made for
the purpose of paying the same.
Re-Apportionment of Territory.
| desire to call your attention to the
necessity of the present legislature re-
apportioning the territory for legisla-
tive purposes. a duty which should
have been performed by the last legis-
lature, as u territorial act providing
that the governor shall reapportion in
case the legislature fails to do so, Is in
conflict with the act of congress OF
that subject, approved January 10,
1878. This is a very important matter.
controlling the legality of the election
| of members of your body, and should
not be delayed.
New Lands.
Section 1891, Compiled Laws of
1897, now provides that no law shall
| go into effect in less than thirty full
| days after the adjournment of the leg
islature, unless otherwise provided.
This act was passed in 1857, and is a
most wise provision. But it has been
| the custom of the legislature to make
every act take effect from and after its
passage. This is a very grave mis-
take, and should never be dom except
in extreme cases, which actually re-
| Quire the immediate execution of the
law. At the last legislature, for in
stance. changes were made in civil and
criminal practice and in general laws
which took effect at once; while the
laws were not printed n distributed
until July, courts were held all over
the territory, and both court and coun-
sci did not know what the law was,
and | earnestly urge that you do not
| put any laws into immediate effect, X
like the revenue act.
EmbIems on Ballots.
The present law providing hat any
political convention held in any county
for the purpose of nominating candi-
dates to be voted for at any election
may adopt and file with the probate
clerk any mark or designating device,
has proved in many instances a detri-
ment rather than a help to the voter,
as there may be as many different
emblems or devices as there are
ties in the territory for the same tick
ct. In n county the republicans may
have a democratic emblem and vice
versa. l would recommend that the
present law be changed so that the
territorial central committee of each
political party shall select and adopt
the emblem or device to be used by
said party for the ensuing two years,
in all counties of the territory. That
when adopted the same should be GER
titled by the chairman and secretary
of the committee to the secretary of
the territory, where it should be filed
by him and known as the emblem or
device of the particular party filing
the same to be used at all elections.
until the same shall be changes and
the change certified m tho eacratarv