Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-08-11
Public Forum

Editor Morning Journal.
Having read various articles APP
peatins in your valuable paper from
time 10 time touching on the state
hood question, ! desire 10 express ms
idea on constitutiOn-making for the
coming state. / haven't the least
doubt but that there Will be talent
enough among the delegates that viii
form the convention to give Us a
good constitution, and one that VIII
be "A credit tn the new state as well
AS conducive Is its welfare prog
ress. As matters al legislation are
not within the scope Cor at least
should not beJ of q state cnnstitu-
ton and as ideas OF government are
varied. il is useless 10 make ugges-
lions ahead Of the converting OF the
convention. without il would be 10 go
Slow 81 iirst. bat earn and work, bet-
ter mgke q short constitution that
VIII mold water than q long one
that viii take a Philadelphia lawyer
90 understand.
As the rights of the citizens viii be
likely 20 De well protected under any
construction 81 this constitution touch
ing on that point. and as the federal
government now exercises the regu-
tatlon 81 r|aisIoAti corporation M
trusts. ID relieves the state from the
necessity Of such regulation except as
20 matters OF local nature. II IS very
easy O. propose reforms on public
questions. The next thing is are they
piaeticalt Hut now is the time TO
discuss them pro and con. Let no
one hUld hack III he calls himself q
good citizen. Ii IS the duty of every
one to post himself ON the statehood
question Do pot ask the question
go frequently atked in the past. viz
Is statehood 1T any benefit But,
instead OF that better ask questions
ass to what we shall DO To- help make
q good constitution for the state. 50
that when we viii have TO vote on the
constitution fur az against. ST. may
do So inteiigentiy.
Already / notice every FAD is pre-
pairing 10 climb on the constitution
wagon the last being 'W0man's
Suffrage. Temperance and Associated
Labor. if an get aboard there cer-
iainly win Dee a good load. ] do not
write this as q criticism. Ii is proper
that the rights ol an should be con-
sidered hy the conEentiou-makers
but hom about the business end NJ
the coming ststee l should like TO
see this matter discussed. What IS
going Co be done about the taxes and
debts when the matters OF finance.
taxation and debt limitations are
sprung up on The convention viii the
members pt that body bee sufficiently
posted ON the requirements of the
ueW state 60 make wise provision In
regard tn taxation assessments u
tho future financial needs Of the new
state 90 course his is only e Ques-
tion and Z viii not attempt go an
sWer. bur ! esk your kind Indulgence
o.. aNN.n. MAO b.. mako ID GHuEaaHNHm.
Let as find nui how much we VIII
need 60 ran ihc state on a strictly
economical basis like one that would
Dee iust starting ln business with The
object in View Gap have q very low
rate Of taxation. AIR Rodey claims
we can thc state with a rate OF
on.-hslf of one per cent. but SAY We
Will make 10 one per cent, this is tan
Nlmouut to this ~ 1 pay a lax on
one thousand dollars ~ the rate Of
lhree per cent Gin fact h. is nearer
four) ! would have To- pay thirty doll
Jars. but Do my assessment %
doubled ana , paid "a tax on Two
thousand dollars "a @ rate OF u per
cen L would be paying twenty dol-
lars-a saving of ten dollars ON my
lax and az the highest rate of taxa
tian I'd that. Of course this would re-
| qlire The regulation of d assess
| meut OF railroads. which are much
uuder-asscssed tn this territory % q
general overhHulins of the assess
1.at- 81 the whole state 50 that all
may contribute % proportion 60 their
wealth 60 thc maintenance ~ the
state let the constitution make "a
limit Tor taxation and one tor indeht-
edness authorizing the state 10 con-
tract dehts tn supply casual deficits or
failures in revenues or tn meet exc
uenees not otherwise provided Tor.
but the aggregate amount ~ such
debts direct and contingent whether
contracted hY virtue al one nr more
acts of che legislative assembly. or at
different periods of time shall never
exceed the sum nf two hundred and
fuf Thousand dollars and The
money arising frnm the creauon 90
such debt to D. applied 10 she pur-
posse Tor which it was obtained or ~
repay the debts So contracted. and ta
mo- ether purpose whatever.
More anon.
Yours fuT statehood.
a. GLEASON
Albuquerque y Al, Aug H. 1910