Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-22
DELEGATES FAVOR
PLANS FOR STATE
Convention Completes ConStitu-
ton of New Mexico After
Debate on Sections
LANGUAGE PROBLEM AT ISSUE
Prohibition and Local Option Ex-
cIuded, but Opening Is Lett
for Next Legislature
LANGUAGE PROBLEM AT ISSUE
rAssociated Pressl

SANTA FE, N. M, Nov. als--the
constitution formulated by the cohVen-
tion which closes today contains W
600 words. 1870 sections, grouped into
twenty-five articles.
Probably no other commonwealth
ever was confronted with the peculiar
difficulties which faced the constltu
tional convention when IL cohVeHeu'
UNIQUE and paramount, despite repeat-
ed denial, was the race and IaIis Hase ~, s,
question. The $4,000 people oL No~
Mexico who are of Spanish-Amerlcan
descent demand protection or thelr
eouaIity before the law, retention OF
their ancient rights and privileges, anu anu
thev were suspicious on account OF tne
federal enabling act which denlanuS
that all the state officers ana leslsla-
tors must speak English. Ihey INSIST
"a ~, e,arantees that were. difficult to
Formulate without giving them wlder
intent in other directions than IN
teAded. A.,
This task was made no easier by the
fact that one-half of the republican
majority was of Spanish American
descent. while the Democratic minority
had not one delegate of that race.
ADVICE OF TAFT FOLLOWED
The convention also bore in mind
+be advice of President Taft to formu-
late a safe and sane" constltutlon-a
constitution unlike that of OklahomaG-
as well as the many restrictions anu
conditions imposed by tne elaoliie aids
act It. too. had to take Into consld-
Grafton the insistent demands for pro-
gressiye features, a demand out OF
which the Democratic minority nat
urally made the most political capltal.
The convention was compelled 10
listen to the plea of vested interests
and capital that New Mexico needed
for nPValOnm6nt
and that nothing should be done TO
hamper future development
The various debts of the counties
which the new state Is to assume; the
regulation of the land donations or 49,
100000 acres; the regulation of the
liquor traffic, and kindred questlons
had to be dealt with.
AS a result, a constitution following
along the older models was adopted
with these salient new features:
An electric corporation commission
having no judicial powers, but never
theless the right to regulate rates ror
TRANSPORTATION and transmission, 10
grant charters and to supervise COR
porations. ,,,
An automatic arrangement immedi-
ately takes the. decisions of the COM
mission up to the state supreme court
which must pass upon them 1udlclally
without delay.
INCLUDES REFERENDUM CLAUSE
The initiative and referendum were
rejected but a referendum clause was
included which enables 20 per cent OF
the voters upon petition to suspend
g. law within ninety days of leglsla-
tive session and 1 per cent or Inc
voters upon petition to submit a law
passed by the last Legislature to a pop
ular vote at the next election, while a
majority of the legislature may sub
NIT to the people constitutional amend
ments.
Prohibition and local option were ex-
cluded but the way was left open TO
the next legislature to deal with these
questions and a stringent anti-pass Sec
tion was adopted.
The constitution raises a boundary
dispute with Texas and Colorado. 1t
provides for an elective judiciary from
top to bottom, and for elective state
officers. 1t limits the tax rate to y
mills the first two years and 10 mills
after that 1t grants to women the
right to vote at school elections and
makes them eligible to school direc-
torates and school superintendencies of
counties. 1t abolishes the fee system at
present the rule 1t prohibits separate
schools for Anglo-SaXons and Spanish
Americans and provides for payment
by the state of the railroad bond in
debtedness of a million dollars through
the sale of a million acres Of land
granted by congress.
No distinction is to be made in the
franchise, jury duty, or in holding Of
flee other than that of state and legis-
lature on account Of inability to speak
English.
Outside of these clauses the constitu-
ton resembles very much that of the
United States and of the older states,
being briefer than the latter and in
Guiding much less legislation than
those of Oregon and Oklahoma.
The convention believes that it has
formulated a fundamental law that will
be ratified by the people and approved
by congress and President Taft