Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-12-26
A ToO-HAsTY CONCLUSION.

The Roswell Register Tribune IN its
last issue very properly approves the
action OF Governor curry IN appoint
Ing the New Mexico Tax commission
and commcnds the purposes for
which the commission was formed.
Tho Register-Trihune however, goes
further and questions the power of
the commission TO accomplish amy of-
fcctual Investigation Of assessment and
taxation conditions within the brief
time remaining before the present
Governor goes out OF office. The pa
per leaves the clear Inference that In
its opinion Judge Mills. the new
governor. while he may favor the
general program. will not give the
commission the support which Is alb
solntely essential TO It's success,
The paper also expresses the belief
that the members of the territorial
board Of equalization are not favorab-
~ disposed toward the Investigation
which has been intrusted TO the com
mission.
&ffH&'FHfbh - n3hifAffN"HfFfh So I've
ister-1'ribune says IN part.
"The formation OF this body IL in
many respects the most important
event in the r%evcnueal history ~ New
Mexico, and IL IN a deep and positive
pity that even the optimiat can not
nee ahead the early completion OF
their iabors, since II carries with IL
"a system of honest assessment and an
attendant reduction OF the tax rate
which is now q territorial handicap
II not "a territorial shame The idea
IL Governor rurry's. The only pity
Is that his plan of execution praeti-
caliy renders the case hopeless from
the start, To begin with, h. VIII pass
from office in February. Tho COM
mission to succeed must have a gov
ernor behind Il who is in favor OF the
reform ana who VIII sec that 1t is
cffectuatod. II is said that GOV Ito
be-hiills il in favor OF the reform. but
II IL not recorded that he IL minded
10 use his power to put It into effect
II In openly said that the entire board
OF equalization is against IT. which
for certain very cogent reasons may
be very properly believed. The Tax
commission has no official standing.
no power TO summons. 10 enter upon
or examine, and may be ordered OFF
the dump by any county officer or
any property owner. such being the
case. how can II hope TO accomplish
anything really worth while? Were
Curry to remain Ia office, ne could
carry II through by sheer force of his
wi power. With Curry out. II Is
extremely prohiomntical as to wheth-
ar II viii be able to do anything. It
certainly can do nothing If the ter
ritorial board of equalization Is hos
ellie and the governor be- iukewarm
or course both the executive and the
present head OF The tax system may
TAX hold OF the opportunity to COM
init their names TO postcrity az the
greatest rcformors in the service OF
New Mexico IL Is only charitable To
remember hat they win be visited
with extreme pressure Of one sort ana
another. from adhcrente Of an parties,
who prof; " the present system
so far as Judge Mills In concerned
the above IL Il conviction without q
hearing. Judge Mills since his APP
poiniment ~ governor. has been out
OF the territory Tor some daNs. Even
had he been at home ho would have
had no time 10 give expression Co his
views ON this ana other Important
questions. or to give any public cX-
preston as 10 his policies indeed. ia
Is hardly 70 be- expected that he Hlll
10 80 until ne takes possession of the
executive office To say that he isl
not Ia favor OF tho proposed intosti-
CATION into assessment and taxation
or that DE- VIII fail Tn give
the Investigation his fun support Is
charge him rlther with complete
IGNORANCE ~ our taxation conditional
with q complete disregard for the
interests on tho territory; and
this not only before De- has entered
upon MS duties us governor but be-
hc has had an opportunity even
10 give expression e. MS We've on
Ibis end other almost equally inn.
.0rtant natter.
Nothing could D., more unfair than
such AN assumption on th. contrary.
Il IL 10 BE- expected. chat when be be-
comes governor Judse Alills Viii give
his complete support and thc mu
Of the executive of0cc toward
nc carving Through Of the inyestisa-
- -. 49, HH- fmn .nH.H.H.Hav
has been charged. 20 that there nlur
BE- q complete and clear cur sand cf
ccurate Information from which 20
toward snch chsnses and re-
iorms 80 NAV be necessary 20 make
,ur assessment and taxation system
What II shouid h.. Certainly there (
:. thus Tar no reason - betevr thaili