New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-01-12
CAUGHT IN The
CLOAK ROOM


out for legislation that might prove
inimical to their interests.
On the whole business like and
beneficial laws are expected of this
session, and there has never been
an opening of a New Mexico Legis
lature of which all parties have
expressed so much confidence.
Good Roads Legislation.
With the proposition on foot to
issue bonds to the extent of almost
100000 for the benefit of the
states roads opinion is divided not
so much as to the desirabi.ity of
such an issue as to its practicability
The governor has recommended il.
This fact in itself would perhaps
have slight weight before the pre-
sent body but it indicates strong
party support of the measure on
the part of his adherents, and
means that a bond issue bill will
have Democratic support wherever
il may originate.
Tamper With Land Office.
From whatever motive, the as
sailing of the landoofice by the gov
ernor in his message, has had the
effect of raising the query on all
quarters, whether the accusations
blandished hl the administration
message to the legislature ARE well
founded. 1t is the temper, appar-
ant,y, of the present body, above
all things to be fair, and an inquiry
into the justice of jealousy of the
administration document is in pro-
gress in the mind Of every member.
Democrats are divided and scattered
in their opinion. Republicans are
thoughtfully going over the merits
Of the propositions advanced by the
governor. Al are loath to believe
that a state board which has SO sign
ally served the state from the stand
point of bringing in the settler and
the revenue, a be as rotten as pic
tured in the glowing colors used
by the governor Or his advisers.
There is suspicion that the num-
Der of desirable jobs in the land Of
Zee has had something to do with
the attack. As to the claim that
interest bearing funds should be
placed to different account even
the Democratic press, in fairness.
has been at pains to ascertain and
explain to its readers that as a mat
ter of fact the funds so mentioned,
are funds in trust and belong to the
prospective settlers who have de-
posted them as evidences of good
faith with the land commissioner,
and that such funds cannot prop
erly be handed to the state trea-
sury, and thus made unavailable for
return to the homeseekers.
In short, anything like serious
tampering with the affairs Of one
of the most efficient and productive
departments New eMxico has ever
had the good fortune to possess
is frowned upon by the majority of
the thoughtful men who compose
the legislature, and the prospect OF
land Office legislation that would
tend to impair the present satisfac-
tory management, grows less and
less significant as to motives be-
hind the administration attack, and
the satisfactory character Of the
work being performed by the land
Tax Reform.
There can be little doubt that the
governors recommendation regard
ing the taxing of the gross output
of mines or the entire mining pro-
perty, will find expression in a tax
law. The suggestion merely echoes
public sentiment in this regard.
As to the taxing of sheep at the
point where they are known to be
on the first of January, this recon
m%endation will not likely be carried
ebcause the present provision OF toV-
ing the sheep where they are to be
found at the lambing season, an
swers the governors requirement
that all the sheep be found by the
assessor, with the additional adj
vantage that they are then usually
in the county where they are &C
tually owned.
This session will undoubtedly ex-
tend the powers of the tax commits
mission, for they have proved to
be an asset to the state and it will
be in line with the administrator
desire, as we'll as the house speakers
admonition to the law makers of
Economy without parsimony.'
Appropriations for Institutions
A cursory canvass of the legisla-
tors brings to light the probability
that this session will deal justly with
the state institutions in the mat
ter of appropriations, as the state
is in fact in a prosperous condition,
and its institutions deserve adyan-
cement.
Freak Laws Improbable.
There are few who believe that
the legislative inexperience of its
members will lead to the passage
of out'andish measures or the in
PRODUCTION of an extraordinarily vo
luminous number of bills. On the
contrary opinion seems to concur
in the expression that the raw
hands" at the legislative game will
think twice before attempting to
enact foolishness, and that their
disability is not in a failure to con-
ceive the prime and pressing needs
of the state, but in a lack of the
fine flourishes, of legal phraseol-
ogy with which old hands are wont
to serve up their product.
Lawmakers First Aid.
In the above connection, it is
highly probable that this session
will witness the creation of a law
makers first aid for New Mexico,
on the theory that prevention it
better than hindsight, or whatever
the old proverb is. A state bureau,
which would receive anybody's