Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-30
CURIOUS
LEGISLATIVE
HISTORY
A DEMONSTRATION THAT
OPINIONS OFTEN CHANGE
With an Echo of Once interest
ing Tale of How Sheriff
BIackington of SoCorro
County Didn't Die on Time,
Morning Journal Bureau, I

santa re, n. NJ Jan. ~. ]
That Senator Maliquias Martinez OF
Taos county Is one of those broad
minded men who is not above chang
ing his mind when occasion and con-
ditions warrant it, has recently been
demonstrated. 1t may be said that the
gentleman from Taos is not alone
among the members of this assembly
in possession of the ability to change
his views on matters of administrative
power, but in the incident in Ques-
| ton Mr. Martinez appears in the stel-
| lar role.
1t will be remembered that last week
| Mr. Martinez introduced a bill reiev-
! ing the governor of the territory OF
the disagreeable duty of filling vaean-
/ cies in county offices when such may
occur by reason of death or disqual-
/ fiCation for less serious and effective
cause. This bill was recognized as the
| Introductory TO that tattoo of hammer
! ing which Mr., Bursum and his asso-
ciates i'm this legislature propose 70
! plav upon the executive office before
| the session is done. provided they can
gain sufficient following to do it,
The Introduction of this particular
| bill by Mr. Martinez is interesting. The
bill as introduced takes the power to
! fill such vacancies out of the hands OF
the governor and places 1t in the hands
of the county commissioners where IL
was up to 1901 when the present law
was enacted.
Now, it is interesting to note, from
a careful perusal of the journals OF
the legislative assembly of 1901, that
there was introduced in that session
by Mr.. Mallquias Martinez of Taos
county council bill No. S5, .afterward
l--tWentv-four hours afterWard-en-
acted into law by which the power 10
fill vacancies occurring in county Of
fices because of death or disqualified
tion. is taken away from the board oi
county commissioners and lodged with
the governor of the territory.
-. Iivnp. ~ senHcle@' rhG ding 0f the DRY
}old journals Of that legislature OF siN
years ago. shows that there was haste
i'm the passage OF this bill of Mr.. Mar
tnez' which Mr. Martinez now seeks
to repeal, and a careful inquiry amone
members Of that Legislature of 1907
has served to bring out the reason tol
haste
In that year of our Lord. 1901, with
ithe territorial legislature IN session
one G. Il. Blackington, most capable
officer. was sheriff Of Socorro county
: Now. it so occurred that Sheriff black
/ ington fell Ill, SO i'll that his life wa
despaired Of and it was considered
lonly a question of a few hours unit
: he should pass on to render his tina
! laccount. At the same time there wa
= board of county commissioners II
[ Socotro county who were hOpeleSSl,
: democratic In political complexion
= beIligerently democratic it is said. Thl
{ beine true. and Sheriff Blackingtol
o being but a few hours from his Tina
t retirement from affairs, both puhll
h and private, ii seemed pretty likel
: that there would presently be demo
cratic sheriff in Socorro county.
= Whether the idea originated In tn
0 brain of Mr. Martinez or whether
q originated in the brain of one ii. Z
IS Bursum, or of someone else, will prob
e ably never be known. But certain it
e that as bulletins came In apprising TN
n Legislators of the dangerous cOnditio
e of Sheriff Blackington, bill was intro
It duced in the council by Mr.. Martinez
n providing that in case of any Vacanc
d in any county office, said vacanc
e should be filled by the governor of TN
n territory This bill was passed unde
o n SUSPENSION of the rules and withou
lie debate, and of those gentlemen Wh
J. voted for such suspension, there al
'r now in the legislature, according
l. the journals, Messrs. Martinez, Spies
". Dalies and Abbott of Santa Fe count
10 Ii Is also matter of unofficial rec
ct ord the while this bill was being hui
ried through TO the accompanied
IT of bulletins from the bedside of II
ic sick sheriff, one member who WASH
n wise to the game said to anothe
a, what is the reason for all tn
y haste ?" a,
is norant friend. Must be case of ii
r. and death" which shows that eve
Of democrats guess close to the truth.
n And that evening after the bill hf
been passed through both houses "a
der suspension Of the rules, the
n came a bulletin from Socorro announ
J ing that Sheriff Blackington had d
= clined to die and that he was rapid
] recovering. The sheriff later COZ
pletely recovered and filled out a We
useful official career.
All OF this Is mere incident b
side the large and luminous fact IN
Mr.. Martinez of Taos county has sin
the year 1901 suffered a very mark
change of heart, or mind, or some ki
of change, as to the propriety of [
executive of the territory filling va
ancies In county offices.
The "restoring Of the power to I
people' does not seem to have bee
aulte so important; II was. at least. !
such a vitally pressing question in II
year Of our Lord 1901 as It seems
lie al this present
Then It was question Of life q
death aud Mr., Bursum's county N
il is a question of the rights Of
all sovereign people" and Mr.. Bursur
An political neck Both occasions pres
w, the elements of tragedy.
az Gems Foinld In Old Trunk.
ylll New York. Jam 29.-Diamonds a