The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1910-03-01

the members OF the constitutional
convention is lhat of taxation. In my
opinion in the instrument devised by
that body, some limitation should be
placed upon the e cent which can
be levied upon taxable property to
raise the money necessary to pay the
ordinary running expenses of the
government. If this is done, and the
levy is limited to some reasonable
rate, then | believe that the total foot.
ing of our taxable property will in.
crease by leaps and bounds. and the
property in the territory will be as
! sessed for taxation at something like
it's real value. AS our laws now stand
with the amounts for which levies can
he made almost unlimited. it is prac.
tically impossible to raise the assess
ments to anything like the market
value of property to BE- taxed. and a
very large portion OF our citizens
: doubt if it would be advantageous
to do so If we could. 1t has frequent
ly been tried and you all know what
success, or rather lack of success, has
attended the attempts. 1t is better
to begin at the other end n limit
the rate of taxation. when the in.
crease in the assessments must of ne
cessity follow, for everyone admits
that it takes a certain amount of
money to run the government. no
matter how economically il is admin
istered. whether we are a state or on.
ly a territory. To paw the running
expenses of New Mexico as a state.
should not call for any great addition
to what it now costs to run our terri
torial government.
In our constitution, care must be
taken to guard and protect our
Schools I am sufficiently acquainted
with the people of the territory, hav-
ing lived here some twenty years, to
know that they will insist upon this
being done. We have never been
Backward in paying taxes for the sup
port of onr schools. and | am. sure
that we never win be.
What we need, in short, as | have
said before, is a safe and sane con.
s~titutioh-one which will show the
people LOT the East. of the West, and
of The great middle states, that the
people pf New Mexico are a conserva-
tive c1fss of citizens freemen, who
love the Union and the Stars and
StripesI and who are worthy of as.
stmingt the burden of free govern
ment, with all of its Duties and re-
sponsibHlities.
II and for statehood for New Mexico
first laEst, and all Of the time. and
will beabd all my energies and hInbl
efforts ITO secure that end. NY hope
is that lit will come ven shortly, and
that my term Of office as governor of
the TERRITORY of New Mexico will be
but of d limited duration.
In Conclusion.
"Nowt my friends Il have talked to
Won for a considerable time, but /
could hardly have abbre waited my re.
marks 1nd have said anything. / real
ize that ] am advancing in years. and
that in all probability nv span of fife
has nearly run its course. NV tenn
peramerlt is such that 7 look at both
sides of a question. 50 far my name
is untaInished and I intend that INV
children shall inherit an untarnished
name, ii nothing else. | am not filed
with arpbitions, save to give the peo-
pie of New Mexico an homes and
good administration during the brief
term that shall occapy the guberna.
torial chair, so that our citizens NAV
be benefited in this I shall be salts.
fed.
The people of the judicial district.
the courts of which | have pre-.
FIR so many years, and the peo.
1le OF ny home town, the beautiful
Meadow City have been very kind
% me Pa my elevation to the high of.
ice wHrh | today assume and 7 am
more than grateful to then for tseir
rood wtshes and their kindly feelings
owards me. | hope that nv future
lctions may show that T deserve
hem. They have expressed regret
hat / am no longer to be chief ms.
ice and preside over the courts in
he Fourth judicial district. and if,
when I surrender the Office of COVER.
or to nay successor, the beople of the
generally think that 7 have
lone M best to properIs administer
he duties of Che Office, and regret Ia
ave me 60 than I shall be satisfied.
Ladies and Gentlemen. I thank Won
Or the kind &ttentio4y tu have given
---TNE