Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1913-03-13
HOUSE WILL FOLLOW SUIT
ANTI-LIoUoR FORCES SAY THEY
ARE GLAD TO WIN THIS MUCH
OF A VICTORY
The GOVERNOR APPOINTS
NAMES Mr.. TITTMAN OF SIERRA
COUNTY MEMBER OF NORMAL
REGENTS

Santa Fe, N. NJ, March 13.-That
I the constitutional amendment for
4 statewide prohibitian will not be sub
mitted to the people Of New Mexico
by the present legislature was decided
this morning, when the senate, by
unanimous vote, possed local option
law. The law in effect provides that
county commissioners shall upon Pc
tition of 25 per cent of the qualified
voters Of any precinct Of their coun-
ties, call an election on the question
of whether or not license for the sale
Of liquor shall be issued.
Both the house and senate We're in
session until an early hour this morn
ming when both adjourned until 9 this
morning.
In the senate considerable time was
devoted to oratory, especially over the
prohibition question. Senator Barth
made a vigorous fight for statewide
prohibition but was informed by Sen
ator Holt, author Of the resolution,
THAT It had been found impossible to.
.secure a majority for the proposition
in the, senate. The republicans had,
therefore. explained the senator from
Dona Ana, decided that local option
was the next best solution Of the Ii
quor problem.
The next flood of oratory came
over the proposition to amend the tax
article of the state constitution,
which was passed after Senator Barth
had made a speech in opposition and
during which he made some startling
statements concerning the effect of
the amendment. Senator Champion
called attention to the fact that the
legislature has the power to do any
thing not prohibited by the constitu-
tion, with a view to enlightening Mr.. |
Barth, who appeared to be laboring
under the impression that the legis-
lature could do only that which the
constitution expressly permitted or
commanded it to do. The resolution
was adopted II to 6, and II it meets
the approval of the house, it will be
submitted to the people at the next
general election.
The senate, also by unanimous vote,
adopted the resolution ratifying the
amendment to the constitution provid- |
ing for the direct election Of United
States senators.
Another important measure which |
was put through the senate was the
new taxation law which requires the
board Of equalization and the boards
of county commissioners in the var
ious counties to fix the value of
property for taxation at one-third of
its actual value. This bill now goes
to the governor and if it meets the
approval of the executive will go a
long way toward solving the problem
which now confronts the people OF
the state and which for a time seem
ed to threaten litigation with the
banks and other corporations over
the attempt to assess their property (
at its full value.
The proposed amendment to the !
constitution consolidating the state /
educational institutions was adopted
by the senate at its session last
night, Senator Holt led the fight
against the resolution, declaring that
its adoption meant that the instltu-
tions would be consolidated at Albu- (
Querque and that the magnificent
buildings at Las Cruces, which had
cost the state in the neighborhood
of 100000. would have to be aban-
doned. Senator CHAMPION made
speech in favor Of the bin. as did
also Senator Laughren. The RON call
disclosed that Senator Holt was alone
on the proposition
IN the house there was no oratory