Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-02-16

University: 1.-THE people of America
are learning to think. he answered,
"Yes, but they haven't learned to
think very deeply" The distinguish
ed teacher of history and political
economy was right. mainly right; but
surely we are not such lot of Jays
that we swallow all the stuff con-
cocteu for us by the pettifogging
partisans. In fact l know we are
not know numbers of readers
who smile as they read the tommy
rot. And the printers of our local
papers themselves smile, and put in
their bill when the candidatorial jack
pot is opened. 1t isn't that we are
really as big fools as we look. but
we simply can't break away from
'the system.
We hear a great deal about pro
gressives" of one sort and another,
but If we are not careful the Chinese
will get the start of Us, and will be
talking about protecting themselves
from the white peril" of the Occi-
dent. There is a Manchu dynasty
that are doing all they can to defeat
the introduction OF the Commission
form of municipal government.
These Manchus pretend to believe
that mans fitness for a county as
sessorship or treasurership turns on
the question whether he is a lineal
descendant from a man who voted
for Abraham Lincoln; or else for
Thomas Jefferson; or whether he be-
lieves in Protection or Free Trade.
We don't believe it. but then we are
all more or less worshippers of The
God of Things as They Are and it
is easy to fright our souls with the
idea that the heavens will fall if we
pull out any of the props OF our par
ticular Deity. So "the system" con-
played for suckers. both at Washing
ton and the county seat.
! am moved to the above medita-
tons by the announcement now made
to the public that we are soon going
to have real transformation OF our
present scheme OF assessment of
property in Otero county. and that it
is going to be done by special COM
mission of three persons-one of
whom is to be a Republican, another
4 Democrat, and ! suppose the third
Prohibitionist. Now just think
how important it will be to have a
good Democrat and good Republi-
can on that commission. What
either OF them knows about the Incl
icnee of taxation pales into insignif-
anec before the question OF their
party affiliation. Haven't we got
where we are today because we have
been so careful to see that the assess
ors and deputy assessors we had
we're of the correct political stripe
hat 'harmonized" with the sheriff
and the county superintendent OF
schools. The right color scheme,
as the ladies would say. Can't we
probably account for higher levy
under a Democratic county admins
,ration thar under Republican by
the natr-al tendency of a Democrat
&c assessor to be good to the poor
voter. by giving him low assess
ment and mulct the rich voter by Civ
ing him high one-against which
his cit lower than the poor one. And
lower growing assessment calls OF
course cor higher levy. Or is it
the man TACT that the Manchus use
the tribute money they get out OF
their subjects to hinder an honest as
sessment OF the larger properties by
an assessor OF our party stripe?
1t has probably not dawned on
many OF us how wide gulf now
yawns between the story we tell the
land buyer OF the value OF Otero |
county lands and the story We tell |
the assessor. A little study of the
Abstract of Assessment issued from
the county treasurer's office will
show that the average assessed value |
of the cultivable land OF the county |
is SI2.so per acre. 1t has surely ia
LII ..I L..
representation to get it down to this |
figure. And it is no wonder the |
Santa Fe railway corporation feels
that it must either be allowed to do |
its share of lying or else protest Wig
orously in the courts. We are slow |
to learn that the interdeDendence of
modern civilization makes it difficult |
for one man or one corporation to be |
honest alone. The handicap is too |
grea, for him. Marital inhdelity al
ways calls for two bad ones, and |
there are phases OF individual virtue
that call for communal virtue. 1t might |
be well to set the wicked corpora
tons" good example.
The habit OF lying our assessment |
values down is only equalled by our |
habit of lynn the selling values up.
county for the purpose of using it
getting his living. his fair and hon
est compensation for his labor out OF
it, is not advantaged by putting any |
artificial value upon it. 1t is child
ish to entertain the notion that we
are rich in proportion to the specu-
lative value we put on things. Spec
ulation is only the gamblers chance
OF turning the right card at the right
time. 1t is just the trick of trans
ierring money from one pocket to
another. 1t represents no productive
labor nor any productive power.
IT, ,,,,o ,,,t,o e fonIad into hei;ey;p,