Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-03-09
The Morning Journal Bureau.
Gat1ta Ieo " NJ March 3


Santa Fe n. NJ, March s.
The Bursum machine in the house
Of representatives, which has up to
this time under the leadership of Mr..
Holt of Dona Ana and Mr.. Beach of
Otero completely dominated all legis-
lation in the lower branch of the as
sembly today went on the rocks and
was completely broken in an atempt
made by Holt and Beach to stop the
passage of bill introduced by Mr..
Gallegos Of Quay county, providing
maximum railroad fare of three cents
a mile, which was finally passed un-
der suspension Of the rules and after
desperate opposition by Holt Beach.
Abbott of Santa Fe. and Studley. by
the overwhelming vote of Is to 3.
The debate upon the bill furnished
to the long suffering minority an OPP
portunity to speak its mind upon the
methods which have been nut into
effect by Mr. Holt and his leutenants
throughout the session, and the mem>
bers of the minority were not slow
to take advantage of their opportun-
ity. Mr. Gallegos who introduced the
bill had charge of its career on tn"
floor of the house and so vel! had he
lined up his forces and so carefully
was his campaign laid out that the
all-pOwerful machine leader and his
assistants were totally Dowerless to
make a break in the line for even an
instant Pleading was finally resorted
to by Holt and his friends, requests
for time to consider the bill which
has been before the committee on
railroads for five weeks, and finally
bitter protests against "railroadng
of legislation But the majority, which
had grown from a minority Over
night, merely smiled and pointed out
the difference between the considera'
ton given this measure and the dis
trict attorney bill, and passed it over
protest argument, filibustering and eV-
cry other obstruction the depleted
machine following could put in its
way. 1t was a complete defeat for Mr.
Holt and thorough victory for MI.
Gallegos, showing him for the hrst
time i'm the light of a capable ana re-
Sourceful leader, who in his first open
contest with Mr.. Holt, showed him.
self distinctly the more successful or
eanizer. For this is the first open con
test against the machine leaders which
has come in the house this session.
Mr.. Gallegos had with him the menu
bers ofet the late minority, VINO en-
tered into the debate with spirit
which gave the machine leaders the
liveliest afternoon of their legislative
career. The debate on the bill occu>
pied the entire afternoon but at tile
close of the session when the house
adjourned until Monday, Mr. Holt
saw his solid seventeen vete almost
solidly against him with the herto-
fore despised minority. for the vote on
final passage was Is for the bill to .
against Il.
Histor yof the Bill.
The bilI unon which the machine
went to smash Is house bill! No. 19o.
1t was the fifth bill introduced during
the afternoon session, and MT.
Gallcgos, who introduced it, explained
upon his motion to suspend the rules
for its consideration, that 1t was an
exact conv of house bill No. l6, Whlch
had been introduced by Mr., Hudspeth
Of Lincoln early In the session; go,
II was explained that this bill
house bill No IS. had been before the
committee on railroads for five weeks.
Mr. Beach is chairman of the com
mittee on railroads 1t was stated that
repeated efforts had been made to get
the bill up for consideration, ana that
the efforts had failed through tne
failure of the chairman to allow lts
consideration. After showing that the
bill was not a new bill. and that there
had been plenty of time for It's tull
consideration, since II has peeh IN
printed form for weeks, Mr. Gallegos
moved the suspension OF the ru'es 20
consider the bill Then the llgh'
started. To the spectators, of whom
hut a few were present, 1t was MOI
known what support Mr.. Gallegos had
I'm his daring proposal to suspend the
rules without the consent or motion
from the leader of the machine. Ana
the procedure was watched WIN
something of awe. Presently II
dawned upon the spectators tha'
something had occurred and the gal
leries began to fill until the audience
was quite large one. The arguhhetl'
on the bill and the tlibustering whlcn
was quickly resorted to to prevent lts
passage all came on the explanation
of votes upon roll call.
Mr.. Abbott Of Santa Fe, was the
first to explain his vote and to oper
the ouposition TO the bill. He opposec
the susnenslon of the rules for its
consideration He denied that the
New Mexico legislature was dominated
nv a railroad oligarchy and he hatC
this bill would make It impossible fol
small lines to operate. The preseh
maximum fare which may be charged
by railroads in New Mexico, Is three
cents mile. Mr.. Abbott spoke a
some length against the bill, before
voting to the motion to suspend th'
rules
The vote went down the line, a few
of the members speaking to the nt
tlon. But as the voteDr ogressed /
became plain that something haf
happened TO the machine, for tn
solid seventeen. when the vote wa
counted looked as If II Mad suffered
from a violent epidemic.
MIR. Mullins said that generally h'
was opposed. to suspending the rules
but that since tlfe practice had be
come SO general earlier in the session