Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1910-11-08
CONVENTION IS
IN A SNAIL
Matter of Indebtedness Gives
Rise to a Multitude of
Opinions
eIY eEcTI0Nc LPE lD0pTFD
SIX SECTIONS ARE ADOPTED
They WIN Be Among the Most
Important in the Entire
Constitution.

The delegates this forenoon when
Charles A. Spiess called the conven-
ton to order, appeared to be in fight
ing mood. No time was lost after pray
er by Chaplain julius A. Hartman, to-
resume the consideration of the arti-
Gle on state, county and municipal in
debtedness, but despite strenuous ef-
forts, not much headway was made.
G. A. Richardson was again in the
chair in committee of the whole and
the discussions took wide range
covering the field of finance, of law,
and in the case of C. NJ. Compton, the
beauties and the prospects of the strip
bordering on Texas. 1t was not until
Article was reached, however, that
the committee was involved in a snarl
that seemed impossible of disentan-
clement, when A. B. Fall moved tnat
the committee rise.
Compton had told of the enterprise
of the people of Portales who had re-
claimed many fertile acres by bring
ing to the surface stream that had
been fowin seventy feet underground
and had prophesied that the same
thing is going to happen in other pors
tions of eastern New Mexico. He was
speaking on an amendment prohereo
by Reed Holloman prohibiting the
new state from going further into debt
than provided by the enabling act. =.
]. Roberts said: "We must not tie the
hands of the new state A business
man who is limited or prohibited from
using his credit would be in a bad flx.
Suppose the insane asylum or the
capitol burned down, where would
New Mexico get the money to rebuild
them, unless by issuing bonds. lie
scored J. w. Childers for advocating
that only the plutocrats, those VINO
paid taxes, should vote on questions
of indebtedness in the new state. He
favored that every citizen should pc
permitted to vote on such PROPOSE
tions even if they paid no taxes under
the 5000 exemption law, which would
he put into the constitution as pro
lection for the poor people.
Finally an amendment by W. D.
Murray. making certain verbal chang
es was adopted by vote OF 81 TO 50
At this juncture q. S. Stover broke
into the hmelight by hollering: MOI
enough fresh air. Too much TOBACCO
smoke" Another delegate amended:
"Too much hot air.
The windows were raised and the
convention proceeded. A. II. Hariiee
had risen to pour forth a flood Of
oratory. when A. B. Fall moved tha1
the committee rise and report pro
gress His motion carried by the mar
row margin of SO to "a.
He then moved that Section al
reported from committee be adopted
except as to slight verbal changes ant
striking out the property qualification
for voters. A motion to lay this amend
ment on the table was lost by vot'
Of "a to So. The section as amended
was then passed by vote OF 6S TO "
An addition to G. r. Brice, Wnlci
was adopted without dissent, brougn
the section under the provisions 0
the Springer act as far as determin
ing what assessment shall pe IN
standard. An amendment by A. a
Sedillo took it's usual course and wa
tabled
Sections l and 6, the important one
of the articles now read as follows:
Section 1. The State hereby as
sumes and pledges its faith and credi
for the payment of the debts and liza
Il h;lities of the Territory of New Mex
20 and the debts of the countie
thereof. which were valid and subsis1
ing on June goth, 1910. The legisla
ture shall at its first session, provld
by law for the payment or refundin'
thereof by the issue and sale of bonds
or otherwise.
Sec. 2. No county shall be require
to pay any portion of the debts OF an
other county so assumed by the State
and the bonds of Grant and Santa 4
Counties which were validated, al
proved and confirmed by Act of Cor
gress of January 18th, 1897, shall D
paid as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 8. The bonds authorized b
law to provide for the payment OF sue
Indebtedness shall be issued in thre
series as follows:
Series A. To provide for the pa!
ment of such debts and liabilities {
the Territory of New Mexico.
Series B. To provide for the pa.
ment of such debts of said counties
Series C. To provide for the pa.
ment of the bonds of Grant and SAINT
Fe Counties which were validated an
approved and confirmed by Act {
Congress of January 10th, 1897, an
accrued interest thereon.
Sec. 4. The proper officers of th
State shall as soon as practicable, s.
lect, locate and sell the one millio
acres Of land granted to the State b
Congress for the payment of th
bonds Of Grant and Santa Fe Countie
SO validated by Act of Congress, (
SUFFICIENT thereof to pay the interel
and principal of the bonds in Serie
G. issued as provided in Section
hereof. The proceeds Of rentals an
sales Of said lands shall be kept in
separate fund for the payment Of th
interest and principal Of the bonds I
Series G.
Provided, that wheneter there
Continued on Page Eight.