Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-02-05
By Vote of 81 10 8 Bill Intro
duced by Speaker Romero
Is Jammed Through After
One Days Notice,
BL00D'S RlUDGE0N Is
AIMED AT EXECUTIVE
San Miguel County Man Reads
Typewriter Statement in
Which He LambaStS Prom
inent Democrats,

Santa Fc, Feb. 4.-The house this
afternoon passed Speaker Romcro's
S-cents-a- passenger rate bill by
an overwhelming majority, despite
the effort of Republican Floor Lead
er Mann 20 stem the tide The job
was done with neatness and dispatch
and ominous enthusiasm. Incidental
ly, the state corporation commission
received thorough grilling.
Another sensational feature of the
house session this afternoon was the
unanimous passage of bill intro
duced by Mr. Blood appointing a
joint committee to investigate the
management of the state college, the
First State bank of Las Cruces, and
appropriating $500 for that pur-
pose.
A third noteworthy event of the
legislative day was the agreement
among the republicans on the nature
and outline of a salary bill
Railroad Rate Bill.
House bill 1856. providing for 3
cent-a-mile rate for passengers on
all railroads i'm New Mexico, was re-
ported favorably from the commit
tee on state affairs. The bill was taken
up out of the regular order over the
protest Of Mr. Veal, who on general
principles, is opposed to railroading
bills through the house even If they
are railroad bills
Mr.. Mann asserted that house bill
1885 is unconstitutional citing the
Minnesota and other rate decisions
Of the supreme court of the United
States. He pointed out that the New
Mexico Constitution provides for a
corporation commission, and that
the duties of that commission are to
equalize rates.
'This legislature has no more right
TO say that. the railroad rate be
cents mile than It has TO command
that beefsteak shall sell at cents
pound" he said. The unseemly haste
in passing the bill without hearing
or Investigation, which had been in
troduced only yesterday afternoon,
was denounced. especially since next
Tuesday had been set for the hearing
on another 3-eents-a-miie bill when
the various factors entering into the
proposition would have been fully
discussed.
MIR. Mann denied that he is a cor
poration lawyer, but nevertheless in
sisted that even corporations nave
rights that should be respected. He
predicted that a 3-cent-a-mile rate
law would compel the New Mexico
Central and other railroads in like
situation to shut down, and said that
the proper place for rate regulation
was before the state corporation conf
mission, where ample time would be
given to consider The question from
all points of view
Modesto Reads Constitution.
Mr.. Martinez questioned the con-
clusions of Mr. Mann. and advocated
the passage of the bill, so that the
question could be put up to the su-
preme court for decision. Mr.. Ortll
confessed that he had been In favor
of the measure at first, but said that
since reading the state constitution
ne had come to the conclusion that
the bin is unconstitutional Mr.. Null
lens also made a confession which
was that he used to ride on pass
when he was running a small paper
In Roswell Naturally, he had grieN-
ance at this time.
Mr.. swan declared sarcastlcailg
that ''if We can elect Il member oi
the house, we certainly have the risht
to make a Scent fare
Speaker Romero said that the nllh
argument for passing the bill, II theIe
were no others, is to give the people
a chance To find out where they ~
at. Let the supreme court decld.
whether the measure is constitutions |
or not" he said. Il do not believe q
three-cents-a- mile rate will break any
railroad. | have a two-and-a- halt
cent-a-mle mileage book in my