Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1913-03-06
ONLY EIGHT BILLS
ENACTED into LAWS
DURING THIS SESSION.
HOUSE CALENDAR, VETOED SALARIES BILL DLAT0RY TACTICS AND
FOUR JOINT RESOLUTIONS -WAAT II COST THE TAX PAYERS
SOME GlIMPSES AT LAW MAKING AS
DONE IN THE new STATE AT PRESENT

, of legal limitation on March II, will
have held sixty-day session.
In addition to its legislative record
! this session has reelected Albert
Bacon Fall to the senate again and
conducted two witness investigation
into the Office of coal oil inspector.
! 1t has passed county salaries bill
SO nearly identical with the one at
its first session that the governor
William G. Mcdonald has found 1t
necessary to veto the measure be-
cause of excessive salaries.
| The house faces a calendar con-
tanning 125 bills reported for action
| which is constantly growing in size.
The senate still has a number of meas
, ures in committee and a healthy sized
calendar on which to work including
bill which has remained On the cal
endar for days. having as its object,
! the abolishment of the state mounted
police force, the greatest single agency
for law enforcement in New Mexico.
There are several bills, including the
district attorney salaries bill and
some minor measures, either now be-
fore the governor for approval or re-
lection or in the hands of the clerks
in process of transfer to the executive
office.
This is briefly summed up, the rec
ord today, of the second session OF
the first state legislature of New Mex
leo. 1t is in addition. the answer to
the Old Guard methods in New Mex
leo and to the people of New Mexico
as to what can be expected by the
state from political manipulation and
ring control.
There have been introduced in both
branches of the legislature combined,
some fenrS or five hundred Bills EN-
bodying about everything from a
bridge across some creek somewhere
to state wide prohibition.
Some of these measures. are eXcep.
tionally good and were they enacted
into law, they would tend to relieve
many conditions now existing in the
new state and which the people de-
mand shall be righted. On the other
hand there are bills that are extreme
|, injurious and should not be enact
ed
The Old Guard Republicans have
maintained a majority in the senate
and secured enough votes to over
ride the governors veto in that body,
Likewise in the house, the Old Guard
Republicans have maintained at least
majority vote. They have therefor
held control of the legislature so far
as ability to enact legislation has
been concerned.
That some members of the Demo
cratic minority in both houses have
been guilty of playing politics at
times, must likewise be admitted, but
the fact remains that despite a sixty
days session, this legislature has fail
ed thus far. to fulfill the expectations
Of the people in providing needed and
helpful legislation. 1
Repeated caucuses have been held,
but the present session has failed to
develop a systematic legislative pro-
gram for the good of the state and for
the benefit Of the people,
While it is manifestly true that the
state supreme court ought to have a
seal, that public records ought not
to be mutilated, that funds ought to
be made available for the expenses OF
the legislature. and that the pleasure