The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-01-30


those lnteresss rhere IS nothing
urune IN . coal ~ ans other iarss
iniefess having a legal r~cpresnta-
two In ~ state capital durlns the
scssiona 81 n icritlaturc, provided tho
activltlca Of that representative arc
eoufined within proper bounds There
II urone however. N anyshlne which
even tan be suspected o. being AZ
'control q a legislature or lsa major
ity BY rush an interest. for even u no
wrong to the public il committed. an
undue activity and an apparent con-
troi ~ such an Interest must mev-
ltahly arouse dislfcst OF the mem-
hers u inc legislators who arc sus-
pcctcd ~ being 80 controned-4and
ithc harm IS HonV ihriu rlrhi in their
hosnet amsas the voters who
eiesffd fheia This suspicion Of the
ipaigiou.l legislator. even II there IL
in. afiaai ground for a. H. very dif-
AIT 10 correct.
Tseso things nre especially true
when a large question Of vital public
interest ord eject h pending. such az
tho present necessity for nrovidins
this state with a tnxatlon system
Senator Barth has asserted that
the colfax county coal Interests for
which Mr. Spices Is an attorney have
admitted property values In this state
totaiIinE sis.ooo,Ooo. but. hat they
are actually paying axes upon an
actual value OF sg.2se.00o. which for
taxation purposes becomes one-thire,
or s7se.eoo. This ~ one-twenueth
OF actual valuation. whereas the rest
OF the state. or the great mass Of
property owner have been paying
upon a basis OF o%ne-third OF actual
valuation. II his is she actual con-
clifton a very injustice has been
done the people Of his state and ono
which should not be permitted 10
continue under M new taxation and
revenue system. In fact. should such
a condition be permitted 4 O continue
undeg the new taxation system. even
In modified form. a will lead 10 the
inevitable conclusion thai private n
not public interests have controlled
in the making 81 that system.
In this matter Of our taxation and
revenue system the Herald is neither
a Democratic or a Republican or any
other kind Of a political newspaper.
II is for even justice 10 ali Interests,
corporate and Individual. large n
small. Failure " large property IN
tercats to take the people into any
measure Of their confidence In the
past probably has resulted ia some
misconceptions an perhaps some III
Justices 70 such interests. But in
justice undoubtedly mas been suffered
by the people through the ability of
such Interests 20 control or lnflu-
ence legislation. This II a time Tor
publicity. II Is a. lime for produc-
ton 81 the facts, and an n the facts.
fairy and without prejudice. 80 that
the people may know, and So that the
legislature u it's individual menu
bers, IN dealing with this ali import
question OF our taxing system.
be freed from any nance or
suspicion that their policies and az
lions are controlled by any other In
huencc than that Of the public good.
In this situation an sides are en-.
titled 10 a fair hearing. but an sides
should be very careful 10 secure that
hearing, and the legislature should be
very careful 90 sec thar all SIDES do
have a public hoarins For if "a wrong
is committed .n tha 90 making OF our
tfN hNe InH members 81 the losis-
rr D totc for that wrong will
rrI" red 90 explain that wrong to
people ut home and the expln-
nation viii hav 10 be- full. explicit
ana convincing.