El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-01

! -'AN--- tAACS Sclccl Mess the governor
mas the earnest and united support OF
! these officials. unless all work in har-
mony TO carry out the general plan of
| government, any administration must
oe a failure, and I now give notice that
| DO not intend my administration to
be failure. if can help it,
| Taxation.
One of the most important functions
! OF government is the raising of revenue
! for the payment of its expenses These
! eXuenSeks are necessary. if organized
| government is TO exist.
Therefore, it is not only a funda-
| mental principal OF political economy.
! but the dictate of common justice and
common sense as well. that the burden
| Of these expenses. thus Incurred for the
| benefit of all, should be borne by all.
on terms of equality There is but one
! safe, sound and just rule, and that is
! uniformity Of valuation for similar
| kinds and classes of property, every
| where in the territory. A property
| owner in one county should not pay a
! greater, or a less, tax upon a horse a
| COW, or on an acre of land. than the
| owner of a horse COW, or acre of land
/ OF equal value, in any other county.
| Taxes and assessments should not
| be devised simply to show how rich
We are. Enough should be raised for
/ our actual needs, and no more The
presence of surplus revenues is always
a temptation to extravaganza.
Improve Public school System.
1t IS my purpose to use every effort
| in my power to aid and assist in the
| betterment of our schools both the COM
mon schools and the higher institutions
| of learning, which are situated in the
| territory. Until the younger generation
in outlying districts have the advan-
tages which all American children
should have of acquiring knowledge,
our school system is not what it should
be.
The public school system so gen
eral in the United States has made us
what we are as a nation and that of
New Mexico must be extended and i'm
proved so that no state shall stand
ahead Of US in supplying means by
which an education can be acquired.
Advocates Good Roads.
"One of the marked characteristics
Of a high state of civilization is the
means of communication from one CEN
ter of population to another. Our
country roads, the short roads between
the several towns, need improvement. 1
believe in good roads, and favor the
improvement of the highways in the
territory so far as ii can possibly be
done. The greater part of the work
however, must be done by the Several
counties. as there are not enough con-
victs TO answer the demand for this
class of labor. 1 will. however, prom
Use that the territory will assist in the
work. so far as it properly can.
The act of the legislature passed in
1905. projecting and establishing the
Canine Real, to be an extension OF the
scenic highway through New Mexico
along the general route OF the historic
Santa Fe trail, and designed ultimately
to be grand and permanent highway
for rural and tourist travel and trans
portatlon, with branch roads extending
into every county. initiated a work of
great merit. which Will be of lasting
benefit 10 all our people,
I believe this work should be pushed
70 completion by the use of convict la
Dor where possible, and by the united
cooperation of all the counties
Statehood for New Mexico.
For many years We have been ask
ing for statehood. Notwithstanding |
the handicap of a territorial form Of /
government, however. We have steadily |
progressed. Today 1 believe the con-
gresS recO gniZes that we are fully quail |
fled TO assume the responsibilities of |
statehood and that the enabling act |
which recently passed the house of |
representatives without dissenting
vote. will soon pass the senate pos
sibly with some notifications. and re-
ceive the approval of the president.
President Taft was absolutely right |
in the address which he delivered at
Albuquerque last October in cautioning |
us to be very careful in all the pre- |
liminary steps which we must take be- |
fore our admission to the union.
A Sane Constitution.
We must elect our best men-men 4
of experience and affairs as delegates .
TO the convention which is to frame |
the act under which the new state of !
ha
stitution may be as nearly perfect as
the fallibiEtY of man will permit it to |
be Let us make a safe and sane con
stitutiOn. a constitution which will in
sure us good government at the start,
but which is also flexible enough TO |
answer our needs as we grow in wealt
and population, which is certain to come
to Us quickly.
For one, I do not favor constitu-
ton which contains much legislation. !
but care must be exercised TO so frame
il as TO secure an absolutely fair judi
ciary for after all Is said and done,
the judiciary is the weakest of
the great coordinate branches of gov
eminent, still it is the shield and buck
Ter which protects the poor and the
we'll to do. the strong and the weak
from the avarice and greed OF those who
would Fake advantage of them II even
protects the people from the executive
ara leSlS!0JlFe Dr2ncneS or the govern |
ment, when they seek as they some
times Perhaps unwittingly do. to over
step the boundary line of authority
which is given to them by the organic !
law.
Protect Public Lands
In my opinion provision should be
inserted in our constitution to protect !
our public lands and save them from ,
being the prey of spectators and the
football of politicians and designing ,
men, whose aim will be to acquire them
for less than they are reasonably worth. |
Let our constitution throw such safe ,
guards about the administration of this
sacred trust that generations as yet I'M
born VIII bless its trainers for having
the rich heritage of land q
given US by the enabling act for the c
benefit of the schools and the higher 5
Institutions OF learning in the terri a
DRY. g
Another matter TO which the most +
careful scrutiny should be given by the u
members of the constitutional conven- ! f
ion is that of taxation. In my opinion ! C
n the instrupent devised by that body. s
some limitation should be placed upon Y
Trbi oh, h |