The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-22
TAFT AUTHO7 FED
 BY SENATE ID FIX
 A BOUNDARY LINE

Washington, December N.-Complying with the request of President Taft as conveyed In a special message the Senate today adopted a joint resolution nullifying the action of the constitutional conven- tion of New Mexico In fixing the one hundred and third meridian ,of longitude as the eastern boundary of that pros pective state and giving the President power. in conjunction with the state of Texas. to re-establlsh the lines run by J. H. Clark in 1858 as the true boundary be- tween New Mexico and Texas.
 The dispute is of long duration and grows out of an error made by Clark in his effort as surveyor for the govern ment to mark the one hundred and third meridian. It was intended this meridian should constitute the dividing line. but Clark placed it west of where 1t should have been, as developed by subsequent surveys.
 National authorities, as well as those of Texas, accepted it as accurate, but New Mexico contended for the more east ern tracing and the convention has un- dertaken to carry that contention Into effect Tn his message the President pointed out that property interests had accumulated under the recognition of the Clark survey and urged that the estab- lished boundary should not be disturbed
 Senator Hepburn opposed the resolu- ton, contending that the Clark survey had been made for the purpose of To- eating the meridian and not for that of marking a division between states. He asserted that not less than 60o,0O0 acres of land of value of $20 an acre were in- volved, declaring that Texas had received liberal remuneration for the area. He contended 1t should not be restored with out adequate compensation. For time he threatened to filibuster against action but afterwards desisted, saying he had learned to get out of the way when he heard the whistle of the steam roller'
 The resolution still has to be acted on by the House.
 Within a short time after President Taft had sent a special message to Congress today urging such action the Senate adopted a joint resolution authorizing the announcement of portion of the consti- tuition of the proposed state of. New M6XlCO, attempting tO CHdHSc all tStdD- lished boundary on the line between Tex as and New Mexico. It also proposed the remarxing of the boundary established by the Clark survey made in 1SS9-9O. The House has not yet acted upon the reso- lution.
 In his message the President calls at teEtion to the clause in the constitution for the proposed new state of New Mex leo. purporting to fix the boundary line between New Mexico and Texas. which may reasonably be construed to be diff ferent from the boundary lines heretofore legally run, marked, established and rat filed by the United States and the state of Texas and under which claims might be set up and litigation instigated of an unnecessary and improper character"
 The President then refers to the joint resolution before Congress which would authorize the President of the United States and the state of Texas to mark the boundary lines between the latter state and the territory or proposed state of New Mexico or to re-establish and re- mark the boundary line heretofore es- tablished and remarleed-and to enact that any provision of the proposed state of New Mexico that in any way tends to annul or change the boundary line be- tween Texas and New Mexico shall bo of no force or effect.