The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-04-04
MAYOR sIt IERs AND THE
NATIu QUESTION.

."|" Wv NN"HN !" NV
Herald stated cdiioriaily ut
a the beginning Of this city cam
pa.ru that We Intended 10 take no
active editorial part ln IL. because of
the fact thrt having just come into
the community 90 make our home.
ana not being thoroughly familiar
with local conditions. vs. did not feel
it proper To- seek to Inject u per-
so.ni views and wishes into the stu
alton. aud we viii not 40 80.
flut during the past few DAYS
careful inquiry. the advice OF sound
lawyers. and the eyident facts have
convinced ~ that the opposition TO
Mayor sellers Is. ia one particular
doing a serious injustice not only 20
Mi. SELLERS INT 60 the voters.
This IL In connection with the CON
tcntion hy tho opposition 10 Mr.. Sell
lcrs and the Democratic ticket that
FIRST. the mayor has sought TO
force "a bond issue OF $4,000 upon
tho people 81 Albuquerque for the
purpose of buying the present water
works plupt' and,
SECOND, that the city council has
tho power Co grant an extension OF
tho water franchise, or 10 issue bonds
for the purchase Of the water plant
without first submitting the issue TO
the people nj an election.
investigating the two propositions
from the standpoint of unprejudiced
observers. seeking merely for the
truth. we have found that both OF
these propositions are absolutely un-
true. aud that e must be that they
are being used at this time simply In
an effort to deceive the voters.
In fact the truth ls 80 plain. that
Il becomes difficult to see how any
voter. who II at all informed. could
DE deceived by these statements;
which we are reliably Informed, both
through Repnbiicaa advertisements
and information gathered on the
streets. are being generally circulated
by opponents OF Mr.. sellers.
with regard TO the talk about Mr..
sellers and the $685. 900 BON issue
We have found that the mayor ut no
time advocated the purchase OF the
present water works; that he mem
loned S75O.060 as "a possible bond
issue az some future time. for the
purpose Of providing n water supply
ana providing for future extensions
na they might become necessary; he
having fuli knowledge that M bond
.sruo must FIRST be submitted to the
people. that he advocated and actual
IS secured the appointment 81 a nom
partisan commission of reliable bust
mess men with q view e. recommend
jug whether or not this was the
prop no Go take mp the question
Of m pai ownership. and that his
activity IA the matter went no fur
thor
We find. with regard 10 proposition
number two, that not only the laws
OF Ncw Mexico. hut the constitution
OF the state are SO definite and clear
upon the subject Of municipal bond
issues that no one al m%lscOnstrue
Thorn. and shat both laws and consti-
tutI1n specifically require n bond
ISSUE for any purpose. or my fran
chire. new or TO be extended. Co be
Arst submitted 90 a vote Of he people
qualified to vote II such elections.
We understand that prominent law
ycrs. opposed 20 AR. Sellers, have
stntcd during this campaign that IL
was possible Go issue bonds or extend
O. franchise without the consent OF
the people. In view Of the laws
aud the constitution quoted below
such statements must have beer made
with deliberate intent 20 mislead the
voter.
The constitution OF New Mexico
section ~. Article 3. provides:
"No city, town or village shall
contract any debt except by an
ordnance. which shall he ire
pealable until tho indebtedness
therein provided for rhail have
been fully paid OF discharged,
and which shall specify the pur-
poses 90 which the funds to be-
raised shall DO applied, and
which shall provide for the levy
Of "a tax, not exceeding twelve
mills on the dollar upon all tax-
aulc properly within such city.
town or village sufhcient 10 pay
thc interest on. and 10 distinguish
thr principal Of. such debt with
iu nffy The proceeds OF
sueh tax shall be applied only 20
the payment OF uch Interest and
principal Ma sicl, debt shall 10
ercased unle-s the questions of In
enrrine the same shall at a rig
MAR cievtion Cor rouneitmen. al
dermcn 90 othcr ofnccrs ~ sueli