New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1916-10-20

EOHTtNATFT.Y or otherwise the
l. road issue has beUo e a leading
issue in the campaign in this ST tie,
Theoretically roads should le Kept out
of politics. Practically it sca!is IN
possible to do so.
There has been a deep-seated fee
ing among The good r077 rs ro0ple nj
the state that there should he a rad
zeal chance in the administration Of
state road funds. This feeling vas
widespread. 1t grew in intensity when
the federal government appoeti0ied
oRe million. one hundred aud seventy
thousand dollars for road construction
In New Mexico, on a five-yea- pro-
gram, to be matched by an equal
amount of state money; and left the
selection Of the roads to be impro Jed
In the hands of the State Highway
Commission.
A Change Demanded.
This desire for a change grew out
of two convictions. First, that tho
counties in many instances had 1ot
been treated justly in the distribution
Of state funds. There was no obiec,
ttSn to the principle of Capitalization.
but in the Judgment of many the prin-
ciple 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
q 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
600 for road construction was pending
in the state Legislature. It 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 or
the state. A leading Democrat Of
Chaves county, president of the Com
mercial Club of Roswell, told ne last
t, 49, ~ a,aI road
! paiu : a. y 80 ~
- " .nG Yrg,ng otnon rhta
+. va
.hn o.otn noaa ho,a Wonoy
W ~ a,nu1.
= Nna'o' 0'"" vas ~ we
va"
Too Much One-Man Power.
NH eooora ooryi.tior tbo+ c.,sod
.bie aorord for . chonoe woe that
II - a1ooad taa
n.r nou,ar IN ,Lo hands If ono MN
A. oone+t,,tad mo c4otn yJioh INV
Camnat,riaa ie roeo3 Of ~ Gov.
go thn Iond Cnrnmise;ora ord the
81 az, = annar ~ aatuaI 1.orI.ira -
49, ~ Cal,ornor ~Aad4arcrg
~ s 49, h,ninon. ma1 ~ roe
80 n, -, o~o :, oorr,,,noo
= nataaa Ca,.arrar TIanoaa15
.rs ,,o,, h,.o orv criticiewr -
- w. 800 uari- rri4...so
n,,,ob Io,r c.bot ton hin,
" Wv
Political Roads.
The Governor NAV be ever so fair
minded. Int he is the head of his par.
~ in this state The termination 10
noliticaI roads is one that ought
not to be placed in the way of any
man. With the advent of the federal
government and its millions, road
building is entering on a new era in
this state. 1t was felt therefore that
the State Highway Commission should
be reorganized.
It was in Roswell that the feeling
grew into conviction and the convic-
ton crystallized into action. Confer
ences among the leading good roads
.aon ieu 10 ''le a os
two leading noliticai parties for
.Aont;on &c the good roads n,apks of
~ connective n,atforns While
,nora wae abeo,utelv mo notifies in IT
.nd Il was tho intention to take and
n teen the roads ont of notifies II is