Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-03-24
WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED
IN CONSTRUCTIVE LEGISLATION

forces failed to accomplish.
WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED
IN CONSTRUCTIVE LEGISLATION
1t is interesting and decidedly pleas
ant to turn to the other side Of The
picture, that which shows what has
been accomplished in actual construc-
tive legislation.
fn his annual message to the assem-,
bly, Governor Hagerman recommended
among other things. the following:
That a strong anti-gambing law be
passed which would prohibit gambling
in this territory. An anti-gambling
law has been enacted, which. it is be-
lieved, will be strong enough to ac-
complish the end desired. President
Charles A. Spiess of the Counci! in
trOduced this law which bears his
name and it is worthy>o note that Mr.
Spiess, although upon the district at
torney bill he stood with the Bursum
forces, declined throughout to be led
by the nose as We're the house ma
chine leaders. and declined to stand
for the extreme measures advocated
by the machine And at the end, Mr.
the passage of a sane supply measure.
The governor recommended the re-
vision of the laws. A commission, of
which the attorney general of the ter
ritory is the head, has Been named by
legislative act. to revise the laws, and
an appropriation for the purpose has
been accomplished. But one man who
stood solidly with the machine, APP
DparS on that commission
The governor recommended the re-
vision of the school laws, and certain
advances in the educational system of
the territory. The changes have been
made and the advances in part accom-
plished.
The governor recommended that the
ancient system of handing out the
public printing of the territoy rs polit-
ical patronage or graft, be abolished
and that the territory's work be let
to the lowest bidder on a business ba-
sis. The public printer, although the
office has not been officially abolished,
is gone for good. and the territory's
work will be let upon business basis
to the lowest bidder
The governor proposed certain
changes in the land laws, and changes
in the irrigation laws, They have been
made.
The governor objected to the eNpen-
diture of an unreasonable amount for
extra employees, and the expenditure
for this purpose was limited to $l5,-
600.
And thus all down the line, review
of the actual work of the assembly
shows the actual accomplishment OF
the legislation proposed by the gov
4 20 Of
proposed by the machine In but one
of his larger recommendations did the
governor fail of success, and that was
in the passage of new and reliable
election and registration laws to which
the republican convention pledged the
party This legislation failed because
il was held up until the last four days
of the session. when consideration OF
it by the council was practically inn
possible.
Another interesting feature Of the
session is the fact that although more
veto messages were returned to the
assembly than in any legislature in re-
cent years, every one of these VetOes
were sustained, save the first, upon
the first appropriation for extra em-
plOyes and this was passed over the
veto only after every concession for q
public accounting, demanded by the
governor and his friends. had been
complied with. 1t is an unusual rec
ord.
It is not to be supposed that the
governor accomplished the utter de-
feat Of the Bursum ring and accom-
pished the legislation desired, without
assistance. On the contrary he had
throughout the strongest assistance TO
be desired. In the first place the peo-
pie of New Mexico were behind him
and supporting him, a fact known to
every man familiar with the trend OF
public sentiment.
Moreover. early in the session, the
really strong men in the republican
marty came to realize the utter ruin
to the party and the grave danger TO
the territory Of allowing the Bursum
ring to run riot through the session.
One after another, they came out
fatty for the governor and the princi-
ples for which he stands and against
the ring campaign Men like Solomon
Luna. the national committeeman, and
the veteran of the party lead
ers, Hon. r. d. Burns and the others
of the strong men of the party real
lied the situation and did not hesitate
to take a positive position in the strug-
Gle. These men threw all of their
great strength directly against the
campaign of the ring, and its defeat
was certain from the very start. ME-
Luna stood throughout the session rs
a restraining force, his far-reach-
ing influence being thrown always
fatty against anything but sane legis-
lation and against all Of the proposed
legislation which he and the men who
stood with him plainly saw must in
the end result In ruin for the party
Moreover. the majority in the council,
Mr.. Duncan, Mr.. Miera, Mr., Sulzer
Mr.. Sargent. Mr.. Chavez, Mr.. Stock
ton and Mr.. Murray, saw from the
start the inevitable result Of success
for the ring, and standing ilatly on
the ground of the best interests of tho
territory. blocked legislation which
would have sent the republican party
straight to the destruction toward
which it was being hastened by the
Bursum management
With the people at his back and
with Influences such as these support
ing him. the success of the reforms
proposed by the governor was assured
but the completeness of the victory
forms the notable achievement OF
the session. which stands out above
all the others.
That the Bursum ring should be de-
feated and crushed was inevitable
The very nature of its construction
and the methods 1t employed, would
have led to that result, But its disin-
tegration came sooner than had beer
expected and was more far-reachina
and more complete than could have