Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-02-27
By Vote of 16 TOD Upper
House Passes Resolution
for Constitutional Amend
ment for Its Abolition.
YEARLY ELECTIONS Is
SOMEBODY'S SCHEME
Representatives in TangIe Over
Proposition That Would
Make Annual Political Fight
in Every County,
'(By II. T.. ID. McAllister, Staff COrrc-
spOndent.l

uBy X. l.. ID. McAIliStef, Stail toTfe-
spondent.)
Santa Fe, Feb. 26.-By vote of l6
TO the senate today passed the reso-
luton proposing constitutional
amendment abolishing the state cor
poration commission as at present
constituted, and substituting single
commissioner to be appointed by the
governor, whose duties are to be the
same as those now performed by the
three men forming the commission.
The four votes against the resolution
were cast by Senators Kerr, McDons
aid, Smith and Tully.
The resolution had previously been
before the senate on consideration at
third reading, but owing to objections
to its form had been referred to a
whipped it into shape and reported it
to the senate today. In the brief de-
bate that took place while the reso-
luton was under consideration Sena
tors Barth and Skeen declared that
they believed that instead of abolish
ing the commission, its power should
be enlarged SO as to make 1t of real
service to the people of the state, but
that since there seemed no possibility
of doing this, and since the commits
sion as it exists now is costing the
state more than it is worth, they
would vote for the proposed amend
ment as a measure of economy.
Fovt More. Elections.
The house also took turn at pro-
posing constitutional amendments this
afternoon and spirited fight, almost
but not entirely along party lines, was
the result.
The division came up on house joint
resolution twelve, which proposes to
hold elections for county officers and
members of the legislature in the odd
numbered years and elections for
state officials in even numbered years,
so that no twelve months would be
allowed to elapse in New Mexico with
out elections in all the counties of the
state. The amendment if adopted,
would also extend the tenure of the
present county officials and members
of the legislature until January 1,
1920. The resolution came from the
committee on constitutional amend
ments with two reports, the majority
report favoring the measure and the
minority report, signed by Mr.. Vese-
ly, of Grant recommending that 1t be
not passed. Mr.. Sanchez of Valencia
moved the adoption of the minority
report, and a parliamentary tangle of
the sort that has become common in
The house resulted. Mr.. Pardue moved
to amend the motion of Mr.. Sanchez
by adding that the majority report be
laid on the table indefinitely, and the
amendment was accepted by Mr.. San
chez. Thereupon Mr.. Overson, chair
man of the committee on constitution
al amendments, moved as an amend
ment to the amendment that the ma
jority report be adopted.
Queer Parliamentary Procedure.
Although Mr.. Overson's so-called
amendment" was directly at Vari-
ance with both the preceding motions.
Speaker Llewellyn solemnly put it be-
fore the house as if it were nothing
out of the ordinary. A roll call on
the motion was announced as being
22 in the affirmative and 23 in the
negative.
Mr.. Mares of Colfax challenged the
correctness of the count of the chief
clerk and thereupon some more queer
parliamentary procedure followed.
Instead of having the count verified,
Speaker Llewellyn ordered another
roll call, at the conclusion of which
it was announced that the motion to
adopt the majority report had pre-
vailed by a vote of rs to 81.
On the vote on the adoption of the
majority report, two republicans, Mes
srs. Sanchez and Francis of Valencia
county, voted against the adoption of
the report. Only one democrat, Mr..
Eaves of Eddy county, voted in favor
of the proposition to hold more fire.
quent elections and to prolong the
terms of the present officeholders.
The motion to adopt the minority re-
port of Mr.. Wesley. which was the first
to be made, was lost in the shuttle.
York Saves Important Bill.
To Mr. York of Otero county Is due
the credit for saving from defeat to-
day one of the most important meas
ures that has come before the pres
ent legislature.
The bill in question was senate bill
los, by Senator Kaseman, passed re-
Gently by the senate, appropriating
$2,500 for the expenses of a commits
sion to be appointed by the governor
whose duty it shall be to confer with |
like commissions to be appointed by
the states of Colorado and Texas and
with the authorities of the United |
States reclamation service with a view |
to devising a comprehensive plan for
the drainage and reclamation OF the
entire Rio Grande basin.
The bill came from the committee |
on internal affairs with an adverse
report, which Mr.. York moved to re-
ject. Mr.. Ortiz of Guadalupe moved
to table Mr.. York's motion, where
upon lively debate followed, Mr.. |
Barnes of Bernalillo speaking in favor |
of the York motion. and Mr.. Gonzales
of Dona Ana. against it. Mr.. Ortiz
then made the proposition that all |