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

- HuAu NtiNnh OF hluN0A NhANhb hNW
five months-the minimum under tho
law-to ten months. This law was
later amplified by a Republican Legis-
lature into a still greater educational
step for the state. More Of that law
In a moment.
The 1913 Legislature, which was
Republican, passed the law regulating
business colleges and correspondence
schools, thereby preventing the people
from educational Quacks.
The 1913 (%Republican) Legislature
also passed a law which made II pos
sible for more than 900 country school
districts to build the kind Of school
hOusese needed for the housing OF lit
tie chlldren-and this law, designed 20
carry better educational facilities TO
the remote districts where the chill
dren had none of the advantages OF a
city, was vigorously opposed by Gov
ernor w. G.. Mcdonald and his person
al legal adviser and deserving DEM
Ocrat," Summers Burkhart.
II the Democratic governor who o
boasts of New Mexico's educational
system and tries to take the credit for
II, had had his way, the law never
would have been passed and the coun-
NN NiAlNItM III nNN AlNAA ~ NVNN
have been denied the new, warm
school houses they now have.
But for this law, enacted for the
people by the Republican legislators
the school districts could not have Sc
cured the new buildings, for the prop
erty valuations were too low to per
init of bond issues and surplus school
funds for building purposes were un-
N-.-H - TTaT,. th, InvH fhn gfntn
furnished $125,000 for these buildings
and approximately $4,000 In money
or labor was contributed by the people
of the districts, who we're eager to
provide better schools when enccur-
aged by help from the state.
These people got no help from Gov
ernor Mcdonald and his Democratic
administration
me people has never had aid from
Governor Mcdonald and the Demo
cratic party in their desire to secure
better educational advantages for
their sons and daughters.
Governor Mcdonald and the de
serving Democrats who have been his
advisers either perniciously opposed
improvements in the states education
system which the Republicans were
trying to make or by lack of co-opera-
ton or cold Indifference were STUN
. bling blocks which the Republicans
had to push aside in their determine
ton to do their very best by the boys
and girls of New Mexico and by the
parents who are anxious TO see their
children succeed in life.
But now-when the worth of the ed
vocational advantages secured by Re-
publiCans and the beneficial effects OF
the Republican legislative enactments
70. the cause of education are appar-
ent. and the record of Mcdonald and
his Democratic party is borne to the
light and placed under scrutiny-now
Governor Mcdonald and his "deserv-
ing Democrats" want to claim for
themselves the credit for these good
deeds. and deny the authorship Of the
Republicans. knowledge that their
own wretched record betrays Melon
aid and the Democratic party as OBJ.
structionists. reactionaries or flabby
nonentities goads them in their frantic
efforts to rob the Republicans Of their
just tile to the credit.
But the records show where the
credit belongs-to the Republican leg
i%suatures which initiated and enacted
the school legislation. Governor Nc
Donald had no more to do with secur.
ing better education for New Mexico
children than to stand n the way Of
some of It.
To the Republican Legislature OF
1915 belongs the credit for enabling
even the poorest districts in the state
to hold school for their children the
full nine months and at the same time
reducing the total tax required for
school purposes.
The Republican Legislature did this
by the enactment of the so-called coun-
~ unit tax law,
Governor Mcdonald points with
pride to 1t in his campaign speeches
and tries to convey the impression
that he and his party were RESPONSE
BILE for II.
Republicans framed It, enacted II in.
to law and II made possible longer
school terms throughout the state
without an increase, but with a reduO.
ton I'm the total amount necessary 10
be raised in the counties by taxation
because Republican congressman had
secured such generous allotments of
federal school lands and they had been
so successfully administered by Rob.
ert p. Ervien, Republican state land
commissioner.
Land Commissioner Ervien believes
in the development and growth of the
state. not only in education but in all
things. BY the same token, Governor
Mcdonald has repeatedly exhibited an
%antagonism to development.
The Republican state land commits
sioner so capably administered tho
school lands that revenues from then
contributed substantially to the sup
port OF the schools, so when the Re
publican Legislature passed the coun
ty unit tax law. the total tax was low
or than under the old system although
the length of the term and the operat
ing cost was increased in nearly al
the country school districts Of thu
state.
The county unit tax law. which Tho
Democrats are trying wrongfully L
claim as their own, makes sever
4 - l.