The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-09-02

about Ssf5 per capita. Ihis Is a lair
basis Of calculating the wealth Of the
people Of the state, as the railroads
are owned entirely outside Of New
Mexico. Even II wc do not deduct
the railroads, there are only seven
states IN the union that show "a lower
per capita estimate Of wealth than
New Mexico.
one Of the groltost difficulties on
countcrcd In a discussion OF questions
Of economy in stats government and
OF taxation, h.. " seems a. me. that
tho fundamental facts are not graspcd
oy the average citizen Discussion b.
difficult because statistics are always
dry. except 10 tn s-tatistlcian. and
without some ddving into statistics
Il is utterig fntiA FOR anyone To try
70 discuss these Questions with intel
lisence. Now tht man IN tho street.
the average voter, has got to D. made
20 see how and why our government Is
inefficient and -cXtraVagant. tor i
depends on him TO change thu govern
ment In such "a way as TO make it ef-
hcient and economical.
one Of the pqst glaring os these
fundamental facts. which ! have been
attempting after a fashion TO demon
strate by figures, Is thnt Ncw Mexico
Is not a rich state, hat II in one ot
the poorest states Ia the union. That
Il d "a state which cannot possibly ar
ford any Injuries m the way OF Sow
ernmcnt. 1 am aware that b o. not
"a popular thing to suy that we are
poor, but IL rs nevertheless a fact We
hear "a very great deal about our re-
sources, but however great these re-
sources may be- only those which are
developed, not those which are
latent constitute the actual wea.th OF
our state.
Our farming lands are practically
limited 10 lands that can be- irrigated.
out OF "a total area OF 10000 900
acres %prohabiy not more than 800. 900
acres are actually under successful IT.
rigntiOn at the present time IN ms
opinion not much oycr a million acres
VIII eve DC successfully irrigated. or
al least within the lifetime of any
man now living.
Recent mining developments in
Grant county have hcon most cncour-
aging. but. TAKE ID for all in sll, Sew
Mexico is not and never has been "a
great mineral producing state. Our
coal dcpoaiiH arc enormous. but. as
said above. coal is a latent Resource.
ana taxed only uu the basis ui it- out
put.
The stock Industry b. nov ana Is
deeiinod 90 remain the greatest In
the state. Just q cattle aud sheep
are hish and the stockmnn is iuhilant
such viii not always be- the case,
While % stock business Is consider
able in the aggregate IL b. just ABOUT
as hiF ls BE- oyls will Dee Tor the very
obvious Reasons that the ranges are
stocked GO practically their full ca
pucity. MANY Of them have been
sorcly injured bi o~yer-Rrazlnf. so thar
u will take years for them to recover.
n they ever do. Here b. an instance
where the grcatest in%efhcioEcy has
peen shown both hy the federal ANA
state EoYrruroruts. our greatest re-
source, The range, has been foHrfully
abused. Only ny constant are, care
,iul, pulnstuklnE and highly efficient
administrutiou oIn this greatest asset
OF our She gtazing rangc, Dee made
20 e4fry more wealth producing ami
mats than u does now, or than It has
~ hht past
This in uuoshor Of the Fundamental
facts, capable of demonstration by
statistics, which 1 haven't the time 10
give you or yuu the patience co. listen
10.
I'VE haven't q community mere that
can properly afford q uyc-miilion-
dollar annual charge Tor government,
nor are we likely 10 have u Tor a
long time. And, moreover, from year.
10 ycur aud legislature To legislature.
this charge IL inoreasing by leaps and
bouhds. Il Is time for us To call a.
halt
And how can this be- done First
Of an, by reducing the expenses ana
Increasing the efficiency OF ~ lesis-
and state administration Al
unicamcrai legislature of say fifteen
qualified men, sitting two months eN-