Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-12-25
Will Approve Constitution
in Torrance County by
a Handsome Majorit,

vi AfE SEVEN Ui@AfAtA COURTS 81 RNti
territory is today behind with ~.
accommodating. which viii be further
increased b. a growing population
under a state government.
Taxes.
The article relating to taxes is also
objected IL bv some who are oppos-
ing the constitution. They persist
entity assume that taxes win be in
creased but such will not be the
case. Let Us review this article for a
moment. Under 1t only -four mills are
TO be levied for purely state pur-
poses. apart from the support Of the
educational, penal and charitable in
situations and the payment Of the
state debt. For the first two years
after the constitution goes inc effect
/ the levy can not exceed twelve mills
for all and thereafter not
| h exceed one cent ON all the taxable
property OF the state. There is a
property exemption from tax for each
head Of a family, Of two hundred
dollars.
sources a Revenues.
We have in this article a provision
for excise, Inheritance. income and
specific taxes. which do not touch
the poor man. For instance. the
MfAAAAE Atlir VI AAtefAHFA NFAHNtA1
must contribute 10 the support of the
state out Of their inheritance. on the
theory that their riches cost them
nothing and they owe something 10
the state for protection while the
wealth was acquired Prosperous
perEons and corporations which ac-
cumulate large Incomes viii be re-
quired TO pay O percentage, TO be
fixed by law. on those incomes.
Mining corporations will be re-
auired to pay "a specific tax on the
output Of their mines. The inherit
ance tax should amount % many
thousand dollars per annum- So
should The income tax. and the mines
viii be- n greater revenue producer
still For the year just passed, the
coal mines of the territory produced
over three million tons Of ocaL An
other year viii probably raise the |
output 20 four million tons. The low |
specific tax a. five cents q ton on this |
product will yield the state a 5000 |
900 annual revenue. to say nothing
of the output Of the gold. silver and |
The output Of coal alone. on |
the basis Of a yield of four million |
will give us a revenue twice the |
sum required to pay the annual sal
airy Of every Judge and state officer /
in the new state. and encourages us
with the hope that there will. in o
few years. be absolutely no necessity |
for levying q common tax on the
OF the people 10 support the
state.
Public Lands.
a strenuous objection is offered by
a few Of those who oppose the on
sfitution 10 that clause relating TO
public lands. II Is provided that
public school lands not contiguous
10 other state lands shall not be sold
'or ten years. unless we can get ct
east ten dollars an acre for them
discussion f7 tere required. in
10 properly appreciate this sub
iect There are i22,5s0 square miles
sr about 1900. coo acres fn New
within this area there are
400 townships. In every township
here are 30 sections. or p. 049 acres
n each township the common schools
-four sections. or their equivalent
r we become q state. This. amounts
q 2.5se acres 70 the township. or the
total Of over 10000 square
niles. or over s,e00. GA0 acres. and
state. which. AZ s5 per acre. the
minimum price fixed by the general
government for r. portion Of it, gives
valuation ~ $4,000 900.
The schools.
We have IN this territory 5eih.
school children. We AMI
.fiie opposite each rhild's name 1so
~aR or an asset Of 500 for com
son school purposes. Shall we re- |
sri the title 10 these lands from the
encrni government, or shall we ac- d
ant H7 II wa accent it BY r%atifyinr
constitution what shall he done '
a44F FNnraa E~havn urn 4sa+a r4ffhulE 1 "a
z thought on this question in this
arrifory. one school believes that i.
snda should mot he sold for nj Hens I
lnuy wears bnt leased simply. The [.
ther school is Of the opinion that :
should be both sold and leased +,
lthin reasonable hounds, and THE
has been written into the cor o
Let us Illustrate these twc d
Take. FOR instance. n unit r. K
90 o acres and lease IT. We could b
~ evrcct 20 lease IL for more thar D
cents an acre This would brinr
revenue of So o rer annum. under o.
le enahiinr net which must be IN d
as a permanent school fund Il
a, t DH enf wrr the interest frF "a
-nsF ~ sf common erhools b.
Ifnrfe ai f0UT rfr cert which =
arhaps an that we could get. WOULD Z
US on this $4,000. S40e a year. e
Vow. take the other idea. one q
andred thousand acres. sold for s (,
er acre. would give us 100000, or =
permanent fund Of foul per cent .
terFst on this sum-. which would .
to $50. 600 per aunum avail \
Die for immediate use ior the con =
on schools. y
nuf those favoring the lease plan !,
Sclusiveiy tell us that the state VIII =
IN own the lands II we lease. That
true. but over against this in tho u
.n.c00 interest we viii get from the
Ne OF the 100. 600 acres. and the set bt
ars who buy the land become tax vi
iyers "a the land they buy. BY thu II
sysfem we would get an immed- %
&C. fund for the common school Of ps
SiiI for each section OF Ianc "a