Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1916-10-27

49, - SNh@ " A'N NAS
L road issue has become a leading
issue in the campaign in this state.
Theoretically roads should be kept out
Of politics. Practically it seems i'm
possible to do so.
There has been a deep-seated feel
ing among the good roads people of
the state that there should be a rad
zeal change in the administration of
state road funds. This feeling was
widespread. It grew in intensity when
the federal government a%pportioned
one million, one hundred and seventy
thousand dollars for road construction
in New Mexico, on a five-year pro
gram, to be matched by an equal
amount Ct state money; and left the
selection Of the roads to be improved
In the hands of the State Highway
Commission.
A Change Demanded.
This desire for a change grew out
of two convictions. First, that the
counties in many instances had not
been treated justly in the distribution
of state funds. There was no objec.
tion to the principle of Capitalization.
but in the judgment of many the prin.
CHILE was carried too far. A strong
county will not object to lending some
assistance in building a road in a
weak county. provided the road is Of
statewide or national Importance. But
there is a strong feeling that money
derived from taxation should revisit
It's source, and that the taxpayer has
a right to the big end of his road tax
money at home.
This feeling did not follow political
lines. In no county was it stronger
than in Chaves county, a Democratic
stronghold. The first evidence Of this
state of things appeared when the bill
authorizing a state bond issue OF $500,
900 for road construction was pending
In the state Legislature. II was the
Democratic senator from Chaves coun-
ty who secured the amendment com
pelling the State Highway Commission
to eXpend the money in the counties
on the basis of the taxes paid by the
county into the general road fund OF
the state. A leading Democrat OF
Chaves county, president Of the Com
mercial Club of Roswell, told me last
summer that Chayes county has IN
seven years paid into the general road
fund of the state $4,000, and had re.
ceived back on it's roads $4,000. This
was exclusive of Chaves county's
share of the state road bond money
Chaves county was getting the worst
Of II.
Too Much one-Man Power.
The second conviction that caused
this demand for q change was that
the present arrangement placed too
much power in the hands Of one man,
As now constituted the State Highway
Commission is COMPOSED OF the Gov
ernor, the Land Commissioner, and the
State Engineer; in actual working II
~ one man, the Governor. Addressing
q body of the business men of Ros.
well a few years ar0 in a conference
on road matters, Go ernor Mcdonald
said:
"Tf you nave any criticisms to
make of the road work, criticize
me French does what | tell him
to do"
Political Roads.
The Governor may be eve so fail
minded, but he is the head of his par
~ In this state, The temptation u
build political rOauS Is OHc NhdN oubH
not to be placed in the way OF an!
man With the advent of the fedora
government and its millions, roa'
building is entering on a new era II
this state. II was felt therefore tina
the state Highway Commission shoul'
be r~eorRani2ed.
Il was in Roswell that the teelini
grew into conviction and the conviC
tIon crystarized into action. Confer
ences among the leading good road
men led to the draft of a set OF resolr
tions which we're to be presented
the two Leading political parties TO
adoption as the good roads planks q
their respective platforms. Will
thore was absolutely no politics in /
and II was the intention to take an
IN keen tho roads out OF politics It
a fact that there was not a man VIII
had ANYTHING 70 DO with draftI&g thos
resolutions who had not supported III
state ard national Democratic uck'
four years ago Some OF the me
we're prominent Democrats OF tn
stote. It was agreed that shoul
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