Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-21
Bill Empowering Officers and
Committees Of Both Houses
to Administer 0aths Passes
Under Suspension of Rules.
DRASTIC PENALTY FOR
PERJURY rs FEATURE
Senator Mabry Renews Effort
to Force Through Resolu-
ton Providing for Senate
Inquiry Into House Scandal.


tspeutai CvrresDouoesce 40 an, t.S.,.,,
santa Fe. y. a., March 2i.--'rhe
stha,e yesterday afternoon took cog
pixance or the situation in the houee
resulting from the arrest Of four
Avuse members on u charge OF brlb-
cry when II took up and passed an.
DER suspension Of the rules a biu In
troduced By senator II. b. Holt pro.
eiding that committees OF the lenis-
iature and the officers OF both houses
may administer AN Data, subpoena
witnesses and take testimony. The
plR aiso defines perjury before such a
committee and fixes penalty there
loIe OF from one TO Eve years inn
prisOnnlent and fine OF not less than
I'VE hundred dollars nor more than
i've thousand dollars.
The Dill Is almost Identical In its
proeisions with the measure introduce
cd yesterday afternoon by Represen-
tatVe James Chavez In the house and
which was smothercd during the con-
fusion az the close OF the session.
The senate also passed senate bill
No. falag tho time FOR holding court
IN the third judicial district.
An interesting situation arose when
the bill was favorably reported by the
committee on judiciary. Senator
barth. who Is member OF that com.
mittee, inquired when a meeting OF
tae committee on judiciary had been
heid IN connection with this bill and
now his vote had been recorded He
declared that le had not been notified
or any such meeting and knew
nothing OF the report on the bill. This
added to the already interesting situ-
alton In the minority because OF the
fac that the bill was introduced by
Senator AinkIe, a veteran Democrat.
Because Of the protest by Senator
barth the bin was re-roferred 10 tho
judiciary committee; the senate was
forced 10 take a recess ana the COM
mite held a special meeting. Barth
acquiesccd IN D favorable report aud
the bin was lmmediatcly passed. Il
is necessary that these bills defining
the time for holding court shOald
rass the legislature az quickly as pos
sible as several districts would other
wise be unable 20 hold court.
The most interesting situation since
the senate hrst convened was procipo
ltated sIddonly yesterday afternoon
wncn Senator Mabry presented IN
regular order the resolution which no
attempted to introduce at the morn
ing session. The resolution express
I'd regret at the noS0rity and harm
70 the reputation OF the new state be-
cause OF the press reports concerning
the arrest Of members OF the house
on bribery charges. II declares that
the senate shall aid the house in Sc
curilE an immediate, fair and impair
t4l hearing. A strenuous debate.
participated IN BY Senators Holt, Wall
ton, Rarth, Mabry, Hinkie and other
members, followed There were O
number Of heated disputes as 20 the
rule. Senator Holt based ais objec-
ton TO tho resolution on the grounds
that the senate had not been onicially
advised as 10 any house members be-
Ing charged with bribery senator
Holt succeeded In landing the resoiu-
ton IN tho hands OF the Judiciary
committee, where. according 70 pro-
pnecies today. Il Il very likely 90 re-
main.
The Initiative and referendum
amendment To tho constitution. which
Senator w. y. Walton has beea az
work upon since the senate convened,
was presented by Senator Walton yes
terday afternoon IN tho shape Of sem
ate 1oint resolution No. ~ Il pro-
vldes for the submission 20 the cleo
torate Of the usual constitutional
amendment The senate also passed
another court bill. which came up
from the honso hxing tho time for
holding court IN the fifth district The
bin was presented in the hluao BY
Major Llcwellyn and as soon a. 4 II
signed by the governor, Il viii become
tho first law OF the first session. The
senate adjourned until the following
morning az II o'clock