Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-02-17
Legislative Committee orr I'm
Tour Of Inspection Of Ter.
ritorial Institutions.
NEW MEXICO
THANKS COLORADO
Justice of the Peace and Con.
stable Elections to BE Hcld
at Time or Regular
Municipal Elections.
Correspondence Of The optic.

correspondence OF The Optic.
SANTA F'E, N. NJ. Feb. is.--The
prediction OF n quiet week In tho leeis.
lature made In this correspondence
last Monday has been fully justified
The one measure OF general interest
to tho territory which has been sent
to the governor during the week, is
/ the Martinez hill which reyives the old
libel law of New Mexico. repealed by,
tho legislature of 1893 The bill for
this purpose passed the council Tues.
day. and the house concurred In II this
morning by vote Of 10 to 8.
Opinions differ on this old law.
Newspapers generally are opposed to
libel law OF any kind as tending to
restrict freedom OF comment and II
can be said without violating any
confidence that this bill, which had
been considered for some tlmo before
the legislature convened. Is aimed at
one or two irresponsible newspapers
which for some time past have kept
up an incessant series OF vague at.
taeks against public men In New Mex.
leo, attacks without basis and unsup.
ported by facts. but so persistent as
TO cause serious damage 10 character.
The old law requires that damaging
assertion must either be supported BY
facts, or must be made without mn.
liclous intent IL II Is to escape the
penalties provided. The law, however
IL suspended over the heads OF tho iust
and unjust newspapers alike and for
that reason h Is very likely to be un.
popular with a large majority OF tho
newspapers Of the territory without re.
gard to political leanings.
Well known lawyers here who
watched the operation Of the law when
In force before do not hesitate to say
that under Its provisions II Ia very
difficult II not Impossible to convict.
While there IL nothing official to this
effect, It Is the opinion among well
Informed men that the governor ap.
proves OF the revival OF the law and
that 1t meets with his views ms ex-
pressed In his message.
Both houses Of the legislature ad-
journed today at noon after the pas
sage OF the council substitute for
house joint resolution No. 4, providing
for the appointment Of committees to
visit and examine the several terrific
rial institutions Of New Mexico. Tho
legislature will re-convene next Mon
day afternoon at o'clock but as II IL
believed several OF the committees will
have been unable To complete their
work by that time. II Is probable that
will not be resumed before
Tuesday afternoon.
The committees named 10 visit the
ieyeral cities where territorial insti
utions are located are ns follows.
To visit the University ut Albuauer-
Iue. the School Of Mines at socorro
nd The Agricultural college Mt Mcsilla
'ark From tha house. Messrs. How.
I'd Sanchez. of Mora. Wight the
pealer, Wilkerson. from tho council,
leesrs. Martinez. Read and Martin.
TO visit the Normal School In Las
'egas. the insane asylum IN Las We
as. and the miners hospital IN Ration:
From the house Messrs. Crollott,
andoval of Sandoval. NJ. G. de Baca,
riego, Lucero and Lynch From the
CONTINUED on page twob