Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-02-07
WHY Bill Was Tabled.

ploHllllcHl mcHlDeT VI lHe mouse VINO
took an active interest in seeing that
one community did not secure nearly
two-thirds Of the entire funds avail
able for the Improvement of the Rio
Grande, said:
Il have very grave doubts as to
whether or not il would be legal to
make such an appropriation even did
the members Of the House feel so dis
posed which they have shown that
they do not. ! looked up the act Of
Congress of June q 1898. giving to
the Territory 100000 acres of land for
the purpose of creating a fund for the
improvement of the Rio Grande and
the section upon which | base my OBJ
iections-from legal point of view
reads as follows; For the improve
ment of the Rio Grande in New Mex
jco }end the increasing of the surfaca
'n0H Of water in the, bed oi said river
100000 acres of land
II believe that, under the provisions
Of this act. it would be illegal to use
the proceeds from the sale of this
land for any purpose except such
one as the act authorizes. Mr.. Sui
zer's bill, in my opinion, does not
come under the provisions of this act.
The reasons for my views are that
this bill provides for the expenditure
of $4,000 for the purpose of repairing
and constructing diltes for about four
miles along the Rio Grande above and
in the vicinity Of Albuquerque, the con-
struction of which, would in effect, be
but for the purpose of protecting pri-
vate property of individual owners and
would not constitute an expenditure
within the purview of the granting
act.
Another strong objection which
House members had to the bill was
that It was designed to draw from
the fund nearly two-thirds of the en-.
tire amount it contains and to expend
it at the point mentioned when there
are 200 miles of river front, subjected
to floods yearly, both above and be-
low Albuquerque,
Along this 200 miles Of river front |
FIVE hundreds Of poor and INDECENT |
farmers VII 70 nFars for frotectin. |
themselves from floods and who are
just as much if not more, entitled
to such protection than a,e he few
who would be benefited by the dikes
Mr.. Suzer proposes to erect, The
people of Albuquerque and vicinity
are in much better position TO pro-
vide for their own protection than
are these people just mentioned
However, if Bernalillo County is to
receive such assistance, / think it
no more than fair that a portion of
he funds for the improvement of the
Rio Grande should be expended--if it
IAN be legally done, which / ques-
ion-for the benefit Of the poorer
people up and down the river.
Members of the House believe in
!. fair. just and equitable distribution
If the funds available and we are
most strenuously opposed to any at
empt of a few residents of Bernalillo
County, to "hog' the whole thing.
That is why we defeated Mr.. Sulzer's
Measure and we believe our action
will receive the general endorsement
If the people at large.
Committee to Investigate.
THE Speaker of the House has ap-
pointed committee Of three mem
,ers thereof with instructions to as
certain and examine whether or not
he monies in the fund referred to,
re available for the purpose men
ioned in the Sulzer bill and If 1t Is
determined that the same are avail
lble for such purpose, to draft and
ubmit bill which will provide for
he equitable expenditure of such
unds."
The committee referred to by the
House member is as follows. Mr..
dirabal, Mr.. Martin and Mr.. Holt