Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-01-16
Retiring Governor Mills said;
Ladloa and 0ontlemeni

steps OF the Capitol building. I was
inaugCrated as governor e WHIST vas
then the terri. Dry % sew Moxico.
II was gala day and 4 felt proud
90 the honor which had been CEN
fcrrBd upnn me In being made the
chief executive of the territory, and
have no doubt that my friend Gov
crnor Mcdonald feels douoiy proud at
having been chosen by the free votes
OF the people an the first governor
cf the new state OF New Mexico
hlch Is represented on our flag by
the forty-sevonth star. II Is a great
honor OF which any man may right
fully feel proud, but az the same time
there are great responsibilities which
must be assumed with the honor.
At the time OF my appointment I
felt morally certain that ! was to be
the last governor who was TO guide
the destlnies OF the territory. and that
when / laid down ,he duties OF my
Office that they were 20 be taken up
by the governor OF the state Of New
Mexico. nor was wrong in my sur
mise that / was To be the last teTritor-
ial governor. FOR shortly after my inau.
guration the fight for the admission
OF New Mexico 10 the sisterhood OF
states was resumed, and after a Bit
ter fight, which. undoubtedly. most
OF you RENE mber. the president sign
ed the enabling act and our consti-
tutional convention was duly chosen
20 frame She organic law for the new
slate. The approval 81 this constitu-
ton IN congress consumed consider
anlc time, and much feeling was
aroused, out ! am glad TO say that
finally the constitution was approved
by both branches Of congress. with
sight amendment. and approved
by the president. The proclamation
calling for the election OF the new
state officers was issued by me, and
as a result We are now lnauguratlng
the first governor OF the new state
Of New Mexico.
Whom I was naugurnted as COVER
nor OF the then territory, p made
a brief address outlining the policy
which | proposed to follow during my
incumbency OF the office. II, perhaps.
IL now fitting that should say few
words defining what those policies
were and how they have been carried
out. Aside from the matter OF state
hood and our new constitution | dwelt
particularly upon three features OF
my administration. These were In
relation to revenue and taxation, the
schools, the building OF good roads
and the promoting or irrigation en-
terprises. II Is proper that / should
speak OF what has been done since /
have been governor in regard 70 these
features Of my administration
when I assumed the once or gov
ernor on March /. 1910, the cash In
the hands OF the territorial treasurer
amounted TO s5s5,0t3.T9; on January
LIST, OF the present year the cash In
the hands OF that official was $685.
09LS3, an increase OF more than SlO,-
600. At the date OF my assuming Of
fee the bonded debt OF the territory
was Sl,00i,5O0 while on tho LIST day of
January of the present year the bond
ed deOt was $3.50. 500. be a reduction
of $4,000. When I assumed office
the territorial tax which was levied
Tor an purposes WAS i4.45 mills: dur
ing my administration two reductions
have been made In the territorial levy;
So that for the year 1911 the terri
toriai tax was reduced to 10 mills on
the dollar, reduction OF almost one
laird In the amount Of tax. II seems
10 me that Il Is a very creditable
showing. 20 have reduced the terri
tO'ial tax almost one-tnird, TO have
paid on $4,000 In bonds and to have
$4,000 more IN tho hands OF the
treasurer than when first assumed
Office. and with shortage In no fund.
] am proud OF the showing which
mas been l0ade In the cenduct of the
iihancial affairs Of the territory. and
/ desire 20 express by thanks 10 the
various territorial officials for the ac-
tive cooperation which they have
given me IN my effort 10 run the ter
ritory IN an economical manner
ia my inaugural address / stated
that II al any time during ms admin
istratlon taxes we're producing sur
plus In the treasury. that / would see
that the rate Of taxation was rodaeed,
ana you VIII / am sure, bear me out
IN saying that this has been done
In regard 20 the schools and their
befterment 20 which / particularly
referred, ] VIII say that / have az an
times taken a great deal Of interest
In their welfare. I have visited tho
schools IN many counties Of the ter
ritOry; ! have attended All the meet
ings OF the territorial board Of odu-
cation and have done everything that
lay In my power To make the schools.
particularly in the rural districts
bottor than they have heen in the
past, ana my observation leads me
10 believe that the schools Throughout
tho territory are today In much better
condition than thoy have been et any
time heretofore. They are IN this
state approximately one thousand
school districts, scattered through
the several counties. and I am graft
fed to say that during the lass year
IN all out 81 Of these districts school
has been held. and I am furthermore
pleased 10 say that the average
length Of terms Of all tho schools IN
the territory have been increased
from four months, which was the
average in i90S-09. 20 six months.
which was the average IN i8l0-lt.
This IL an Increase OF fifty per cent
III the lenGth OF terms OF the schools
The value OF the school property M
this territory, exclusive of high
cchoois and our higher institutions