The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1916-03-04
Az kAONOMY Llsss1SlAATuIsos.
u , yesterday afternoons Herald
" contained a letter from r. q.
I Bryant of Psrtales. New Mex.

~
bryant of Psrtales. New Mex
leo. q member Of the last state legis-
lature. suggesting n remedy Tor the
tax trnubles of his state. Mr.. Bryant
pointed out that while many letters
to the news, apers had discussed taxa
ton evils and burdens. none of them
had suggested u rcmedy-and he sug-
gested n
Mr.. Bryant's plan is simple enough.
and " the people can he brought to
a realization OF how much they would
benefit by it's execution there Is not
much doubt that II would be put into
effect.
Briefly. the Roosevelt county man.
who knows something about our state
legislatures, from personal particips-
tion and contact. believes that 10 ne
people IT this state win wake M ana
elect TO the next legislature "a yet OF
level. headed business men. that the
wors, OF oar taxation and administra-
tive problems viii soon ee o'ercome.
lie points To- various extrevaEances
IN our state and local governments
which older and richer states woul
not dare To commit HE among
these is the salary rate fer public
officials. lie notes that our supreme
cour Justices receive $4,000 q year
while Older states are content tc pay
their supreme IA judges $4,000.
the figure which we pay our district
judges. And he Calls special attcn-
ton to county salaries. to which he
,ruthfully says the last legislature PAID
more than "a anything else.
The ats ation was all for the end of
higher .,alaries, instead of lover ones.
Mr.. Bryant hns made some ex-
,remcly practical suggestions to the
people Of New Mexico. They should
he read with care and digcsted thor.
ughly.
Two great difficulties seem to stand
In the way Of an economy legislature
as Mr.. Bryant and other solid citizens
would have Il. The first Of these lies
In the peopi. themseives-the great
sovereign people who persist In taking
absolutely no interest In their legisla-
tive nominees until after they are
nominated and generally until after
they are elected. and who after cleo
tion and after the legislative session,
and after the damage has all been
done. declaim loudly ut tire results of
their own carclessness and neglect of
their own interests.
The other difficulty Is IN the ex-
treine reluctance of business men OF
the right sort for any kind Of legis-
lative service. II Is difficult to get
business men to take posts on our city
councils: and much more difficult IA
get them to give up sixty days Of tim {.
and serve hat time in h Legislature
away from home and business inter-
ssts. These same business men de-
lain quite as loudly as other citizens
when reckless legislation raises taxes
and wrecks efficient administration
hut they viii not GENE forward with
enough patriotism to do Legislative
duty.
So long az business men. without
political ambition. stay at home. and
no Ions AS ambitious politicians are as
ready and willing and eager az ,hes
are to break into the legislatures. Just
so long Will We continue TO ha"e legis'
laturcs like our last. The ont, chanc,
Tor betterment, however. il the CCIrs,
Mr.. Bryant points out persistent
agitation for better men, ADLER mer
and closer attention to Legislative
nominations on the part ot the tax
payers-the men and women who beai
h burden Of government assigned L
their shoulders 10y the statesmen VIII
gather every two years At Santa fe
Mr.. Bryant's sussestions aye time
~. We Will elect a new set oi ! gis
lators N November OF this year. Tn
tim, To begin thinking about who am
what those legislators should be I
right now