El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-01-10

alone would amount TO some $4,000
per year
Insurance and Land Commissioners.
The taxpayers of the state are now
supporting a state corporation COM
mission and an insurance commissioner.
The duties of these two departments
could easily be performed by the cor
pOraion commission at no additional
expense I recommend the abolisnment
of the office of state insurance COM
missioner.
The report of the state land COM
missioner shows that he has in his
hands over $500. goo virtually the
money of the state. yet upon a mere
technicality the state derives no in
come from IL There can be no valid
reason given why this money should
not be turned into the state treasury
like other state funds and deposited
for the benefit of the state. If this
cannot be done under the law as il
stands At present. then the law should
be so changed as to require this
Some authority should be estab-
lshed TO supervise and limit the ex-
pense Of this office When the sole
power over such an important depart
ment is entrusted entirely TO one man.
he naturally becomes eXtravagant with
his expenditures This is the case with
the state land office.
No audit OF the state land commits
sioner's office seems TO have been made
since the time the office was cstab-
lished.
state Institutions Funds
Nearly all Of the amount derived
from the sale OF state lands. dona ted
by the general government to our state
institutions. has been expended by
these Institutions for purposes other
than Investment IN income bearing Sc
curitles- Il would seem that such eN-
penditure is contrary TO both the
spirit and intent OF the acts grantins
these lands. Unless this method Of eN-
pendiUure is checked al the outset. this
princely endowment of our Institutions
IS liable 10 be rapidly dissipated and We
upon taxation as the sole means Of
their maintenance
Budget.
The various state institutions have
made reports for which I ask your
careful consideration All Of these re-
ports ask for appropriations. but there
is no statement of the purposes for
which the same is TO be used / recon-
mend the adoption OF a budget system
by the state Institutions and 10y all the
departments OF the state government
Election LAWS.
THE present election law should be
repealed. There Is an urgent need that
this assembly pass a modern and COM
prehensive election law, which viii Sc
cure to every voter the right 10 cast
his ballot in secrecy as his best juds-
ment dictates. and free from interfer-
ence CT intimidation on the part Of the
socalled political workers. The prac-
tice Of herding men and marching them
to the polls and voting them as the
bosses dictate. should be prohibited
under severe penalties.
The printing and distribution Of the
ballots should be entirely under the
control of the county chairman of each
political party As it is now. in coun-
ties where the clerk is OF a different
political faith from the county chair
man. all kinds of obstacles are placed
in the way OF getting the tickets print
ed and distributed
No restrictions should be placed up
on the right of = man to have his name
appear on as many tickets as he can
get conventions TO nominate him.
4 earnestly recommend that YOU en-
act a new election law containing the
salient features of the Australian bal
lot. so modified and guarded as TO suit
the conditions in this state.
Absent Voters Law.
I'VE have a law allowing men in the
employ of the railroad companies TO
vote outside of their precincts. This
statute is very indefinite and uncer-