Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-01-20
This Plan VIII Create POSI-
tionS for Sufficient Help
Without Any More
Expense.
THE TWO HOUSES
GETTING TO WORK
Short Sessions Are Held Today
and by Tomorrow 1t Is Ex-
peCtod That Real Duties
OF the Session Will
Begin.

Albuquerque Citizen News Bureau,
Palace Hotel Santa Fe)
The House was IN session but a few
minutes this morning. All members
present, except Representative STACK
house of Socorro county He arrived
at noon today and will take his seat
this afternoon after being sworn in.
Upon motion of Representative Baca
the House appointed a committee to
confer with the governor relative to
arranging for "a meeting of the leg
islators and the governor with Arch
bishop ]. b. Pitaval, who yesterday
was appointed archbishop of the dio-
cese of New Mexico, that the governor
and the legislators may congratulate
him upon his elevation. The House
then took an adjournment until to-
morrow afternoon at o'clock in or
der that the employees might prepare
their books and arrange for the work
of the session.
Salaries Are Reduced.
The Council will meet at o'clock
this afternoon, but it is not believed
it will do anything out ratify the
appointment of minor employees
ne question u NiiiplOyCo mas p.SSh
a vexing one to the legislators and
sliding scale has been arranged
whereby each employe will receive a
dollar less than two years ago. By this
arrangement more employees can be
accommodated and still keep within
the $4,000 appropriation made by
the federal government for this de-
partment The chief clerks of both
houses are complaining because of the
lack of competent help, but it is be
leved this will be satisfactorily ar
ranged and both houses get down TO
the regular routine work of the ses-
sion not later than tomorrow.
\ Day OF Caucusing.
1t was a day of caucusing yester-
day with the members of both the
Council and the House of the Thirty
eighth legislative assembly. The
Council after it's short session in the
morning convened thereafter in eau
Gus, adjourning at noon. About
o'clock another caucus was held. 1t
was the same way with the House af-
ter the brief morning and afternoon
sessions.
These caucuses were for several
purposes, the most important Of which
were the selection of the various
standing committees in the two bod
les and to settle the question of leg
islatVe employees. The latter proved
especially yexing and it took some
political engineering to straighten
things out so as not to leave any un-
necessary friction.
Late in the afternoon ii was pre-
dicted that the committees would be
decided upon and announced at to-
days session of the two legislative
bodies. 1t was also said that the
minor employees would be decided up
on by this afternoon at the latest and
perhaps by this morning.
Caused Some Surprise.
The introduction yesterday in the
council by President Charles A..
Spiess of Council Bin No. ., the local
option bill, was somewhat of a sur
prise as it was not thought action
would be taken on this question so
early in the session. Temperance ad-
Yocates from various sections of the
territory are already mingling with
the legislators in the interests of the
passage of this bill and they are being
reinforced daily All are confident Of
success. The temperance advocates,
it is understood, agreed to accept the
local OpllOn OH III lieu OF a Oil LOT
territorial wide prohibition, believing
as does Governor Curry that the time
is not ripe for absolute prohibition.
The former believe that local option
will serve as a good stepping stone
to prohibition and they will make a
strenuous fight in the constitutional
convention should such an one be
held within the next year, for a pro-
hibition clause.
Reports from Albuquerque are to
the effect that if the bill regulating
the traffic in liquor is introduced
that the people Of that city will be
among the first to attempt to put its
provisions into effect. Roswell is an
other city where the prohibition sem
timent is strong as well as Santa F.,
where the White Ribboners are es-
pecially active and have been for some
time past.
Many New Counties.
The new county advocates are al
ready on the scene and working
among the solons to secure support
for their pet measures. Among the
first county bills that will be intro
duced is likely to be one by Repre-