The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-01-22
THAT TAX REFORM

am one of those who must confess
to a very deep sense Of deep satisfaction
over the death Of the movement for
q reform Of the territorial a sys
TEN, which occurred at Satna Fe ON
Monday OF last week, when the terri
torial board vi equalization turned
down the lHw Of the last Legislature,
the urgement Of the governor Curry,
the resolutions of the district attor
neys, aud the recommendation Of the
tax commission. IL there were any
body else of official caste behind the
scheme, | should say 80. II il not
necessary Tor me to recall here the
part the protected interests had in
the decision oi the board, IL being
enough to recall that they were all
there at the meeting and that the board
was minded TO listen to their dulcet
voices raised in protest. OF course
u was raised in protest. They have
paid on n valuatinon of 80 cents an
aere 30 long, while the poor mar has
paid $l.25 ON dirt sometimes not near
ly 30 valuable, that they would be
darned fools not TO want that condi.
ton continued forever. AS is usual ia
the first round between the land hogs
and the common people, the land hogs
won. BE II said to the shame OF New
Mexico. IL is another one OF those
cases in which a mighty good party has
another load of ignominy heaped on by
its children. So long has the tax
system OF New Mexico been a stencil
and a reproach that every thoughtful
man OF every party had hoped that the
time had come when the honesty Of
the masses was to have a chance. How
in thunder can we expect statehood
when we proclaim to the world, and
prove il each year that we are Il PEG
pie of perjury and privileged tax dodg
ingt This is strong tobacco beloved,
but jus, use u little of your own pow
ers OF observation and see IL you do
NV dkttf VIII AuCs ~ y0bA wv
county, how many Of the poor eusses
are there who escape a heavy taxation,
and how many Of the big follows pay
n fair onei The question can have but
ono answer in New Mexico, so far Us
| have seen, and it may be admitted
that have seen pretty much all over
il. Is it very much wonder that when
we insist on statehood and hand out
the Oxaliue about our great popula
tion, our vast resources, and all that
sort OF thing, that our friends the
enemy should point with q sardonic
grin TO our tax Fenditions, and say
that a people rs poor as that should
not be removed from the paternRl care
Of the national government As may
be gathered from these remarks, | am
not pleased with the action Of the said
board Of equalization. You have
guessed my secret, Lucy, ! am pro-
foundly Disguised. II / we're Governor
Curry | would remove every last one
Of them, take their chewing tobacco
away from them, and send them home
TO more fully share in the disgrace
thoy have put upon New Mexico
The proposed reform wRs Immortality
right. That 1t was turned down by
the board Of equalization, with tn,
sleek representative Of tho protected
Interests sitting at the elbow, empha
sizes its rightness. II was simply
that every dollars worth Of property
in New Mexico be assessed at its ac
tual cash value. IL this was don'
the tax rate would come down will
a rush, and the land hog would pa,
his rightful proportion Of the expense
Of government. This the land hoI
will never DO as long as the present
system prevails, Sor the poor can no
journey to Santa Fe to lay his troubles
before the board, and judging by thii
case he would receive scant attention
IL he did. About tho only thing he ear
do Is 10 dig his toes into the sane
and rustic the biggest shade Of the
taxes. As II has been, 20 mu I il con.
tinuc TO be, at least 30 long ns the
present territorial board Of equaliza
ton continues in office--It must
not be supposed from this that | am
an anarchist or a political anti Christ
am .ImplY imbued with the old 70.