The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-11-17
wnrnr Tnr BLAME nFIoNos.

stdnd-pat Republican news
papers in his state which Al
I7ile while ago were nIiins their col
umns with peans'of praise u the Bur
sum tax commission law, under which
she fiscal afairs OF this state arc now
operating. are Just now crowding these
Same columns with violent abuse Of
the state tax commission appointed
and serving under the terms Of theI
Bursum law. The criticism . being
showered In many forms n letters
from correspondents. In interviews
and In editorial statements; chiefly
the latter.
The FarminEtoa Enterprise Is q
nrst-class example. This Republican
newspaper stands 80 pat that It al
stuck In lts own tracks. and 3; Is used
as the example In this matter for that
reason and not because the Herald
has any personal difference with H..
The Enterprise fairly bursted lis teth-
erinss IN assuring the people % san
Juan county chat with the Bursuni
law IN operation their tax troubles
were over The law was cxhibitei
IS the grandest little trouble fixer
cyer conceived in the vibrant brains
81 stand-pat statesmen. and when one
Of It's neighbor newspapers sentered
90 point out a few OF the obvious de-
fecss in the law and the nwe Of
the tax commission. Il fairly frothed
at It's editorial ennncIator.
Now comes this same Farmingtoa
Enterprise and under a headline. $50
the People May Know charges ne
state tax commission with having run
amuck among san Juan county tax
payers and fairly ruined them. II is
charged that the tax commission has
ordered river beds taxed as grazing
land a. ss.ss per acre n that the
bottoms of dry afroyas, boulders and
snow-capped peaks, or words 20 that
effect. are to be made TO yield evenu
q the state.
Of course II the state tax commits
sion can do those things and get away
with them those Of Us whose town
tots and business blocks and stocks Of
goods have been bearing most Of the
burden for many years. VIII be In
cIiErd to think the state tax commits
sion a mighty efficient body II men,.
But the FurInington Enterprise says
taxing river beds and boulders Is an
injustice TO the owners thereof May
be Il ls-if any such thing has hap
pened
But here's the point The Farm
inston Enterprise. rising TO the climax
Of is attack on the commission says
I'VE would \ 10 have the
commission make n personal in
,~e.Sslgngion of This matter"
What VIZ would like 10 know OF the
Pennington Enterprise and the other.
up9orter of the Bursum law. who.
arc now attacking the operation oi.
the law, Is how the expect this COM
mission. IN less than eight montha
and with an available expense account
OF less than s5eo TO O. comm seioncr
to yislt and personally familiarizc
Themselves with every quarter section
Ia a state embracing some o. 900 900
acres?
To have employed agents 10 do this
personal supervising and invcstieatine
now being demanded would have cost
the state fairly close up 20 half It's
revenue for state purposes, outside of
salaries. n IL had been done IN tho
period since the Bursum law went
into effec'.
What did the Bursum law provide
In the way OF operating funds Tor this
oommission3
Barely enough Ca pay the salary az
a secretary. an office force and d hoid
stan OF "a dozen or so on part time
and at low vases.
Who o. 20 blame II the tax commis-
sion has made mistakes "a commit
ted scattering iniustlces in local as-
in its FIRST Pea Of work
the commissioner or tho Bursunl
law
Tho Herald holds no briei Tor the
state tax commission or o. mem
Der thereof. We believe that the
commission has made some mistakes.
hut We also believe the commission
has made a surprislnsly small NUM-
Der Of serious mistakes when the las
under which Il IL operating Is consid-
cred In ali liz faulty structure.
Also We believe In fair plas and w'
are convinced that the thoughtful rii.
,zen who has taken the trouble 20 f..
mniarize himself 60 n extent VIA
me Bursum law and the Operation o
The STATE Tax commission Under Ina
Law viii know where 10 place tn'
blame where blame h due In connee