New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-01-26
BEACON LIGHTS IN
SEA Of new LAWS
NOW PENDING
SOME PUNGENT ITEMS IN
THE WEEKS GRIsT FROM
THE STATUTE FACTORY
MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES
PAY BILL PASS THROUGH

House JOINT MtHlOTidl 4No' l, iH''o
duced by that enterprising team
Gonzales and Llewellyn, is worthy
of attention. 1t provides for asking
congress to set aside 100000 addi-
tional acres of public land in New
Mexico, the revenue from which 10
to be used in forwarding the drain
age projects of the Rio Grande. This
is in line with the efforts now be-
ing made before the Secretary OF
the Interior to secure federal aid
in the drainage work. Mr.. Lane.
the secretary has wired New Mexico
people that he is in sympathy with
the project. q,
Senate Joint Memorial No. l, by
Mr.. William D. Murray of Grant is
equally noteworthy. His memorial
is an eloquent protest against the
policy of the federal bureau of for
estry in practically duobling grazing
fees for stock on forest land, thus
threatening an industry that is ond
of the bulwarks Of our common
wealth.
The bill to transfer salaries from
any available funds to the salary
fund and pay the back salaries of
state officials will probably die IN
committee, after having passed both
houses and being returned to the
senate, the reason assigned for this
is that it was feared to continue a
precedent that might in time become
dangerous. Also, it is claimed that
many state institutions which had
not received their full appropriations
in recent years due to the absence
of sufficient money in designated
funds, would ask for similar consi-
deration. There was no telling
where such legislation might end
The salaries will have to await on
the accretion of sufficient amounts
in the prescribed funds, or speciai
levy
/ Salary first! Under this captious
caption, the legislature yesterday
finally agreed to agree. and pay the
salaries of the members and EN-
ployees of the legislature as origin
ally proposed. Technicallties IN the
houses wording of the bill were re-
adjusted to the satisfaction OF the
senators and what threatened to be
an aggravating breach was healed.
/ The coal probe is quiescent. 1t Is
living in committee in the house ano
for one reason or another will prob
ably stay there,
The state land office probe a.
, scheduled by Senator Smith OF Coi'
fax, whose campaign for office wa:
made largely upon allegations about
the land office, grows apace- Mr.
smith has introduced a resollltior
calling for exhaustive information
by February 10, and continues to al
lege.
An S-hour mine law introduced IL
the house, and an advanced Austria
liam ballot election reform law, arr
bcacons in the mass OF statutor!
material which has been considere'
in the house.
Almost two hundred bills and re
solutions are now before the legisla
ture. "lf five per cent of them pas
it will be remarkable" said mem
Der.
The decision OF the senate com
mittee on contests and elections t
hear the Chrisman-Barth contest o.
the merits of the Sandoval count
case now in the district court. ha
relieved that body of a good deal Q
red tape and useless detail. .Whil
the evidence from the court may no
be decided upon until after the com
pletion OF the session, it is better t
! have the court decide thought tn
= committee. Besides, there is littl
: objection to Mr.. Barth's presence a
| a member, for his bills are take
fom the forefront of progressive IL
gislation.
A meeting of representatives {
4. the state w. C. T. U. is to be hel
: in Santa Fe today under the leader
, ship Of Mrs. Henderson, state pres
dent. A bone dry law will be urge
by this branch of the dry lobby.