New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-01-12

per cent of the income, which
excessive.
. No audit of the state land com
! missioner's office seems to hav
been made since the time the OF
flee was established. This is on
of the most important department
OF the state government and som
9 provision should be made for
6 proper audit of its books SO tina
9 the people may be advised as t,
i how this great endowment is beinl
= managed. Such an audit should b
non-political in its character and il
!, order to secure this it should b,
made by some party from outsid,
of the state. ] would recommend
therefore, that you make an ap
t preparation of an amount sufficien
: to secure a proper audit of thes'
t books, such appropriation to b,
: expended under the direction of tn,
: governor.
State Institution Funds.
Nearly all of the amount derived
from the sale of state lands, don.
ated by the general government tc
onr state institutions, has been
expended by these institutions for
purposes other than investment ir
inc"mo-bearing securities. 1t would
seem that such expenditure is con-
trary to both the spirit and intent
Of the acts granting these lands,
The purpose of this gift was TN
dNrhiedly to provide a permanent
endowment for such Institutions.
Unless this method of expenditure
is checked ut the outset, this prin-
cely endowment of orr institutions
is liable to be rapidly dissipated
and we shall. find ourselves compell-
led to rely upon taxation as the
sole means % their maintenance.
Budget.
The various state institutions
have made reports, for which | ask
your careful consideration. All of
these reports ask for appropriations
but there is no statement of the
purposes for which the same is to be
used. ! recommend the adoption of
a budget system by the state insti-
@tutions and by all the departments
of the state government. If this
were done, it would be possible to
estimate in advance how much of
a levy is called for by the appropria
tons asked for, and Our e~xpendi-
lures cou'd be kept within orr re-
venues. By the helterskelter
method in vogue now the appro-
priations frequently exceed the in
come. An outline of such a system
has been prepared and sen out to
the several state departments and
institutions calling for a detailed
estimate of the amount needed for
the ensuing two years. AS soon
as these estimates are received
they will be submitted to your
finance committee for their consi-
deration.
Election Laws.
The present election law should
be repea ed. A free and untram-
meled ballot Is the very foundation
which rests our republican
form of government. Take away
or interfere with this right, and
our free institutions are under
and in their place is built
up a monarchial form of govern
nent. There is an urgent need that
assembly pass a modern and
comprehensive election law which
will secure to every voter the right
10 cast his ballot in secrecy as his
best judgment dictates, and free
interference or intimidation
workers, The practice of herding
men and marching them to the
POLLS aud voting them as the bos-
,es dictate, should be prohibited
lnder severe penalties. The Sc
,recy of the ballot could be safe
guardcd by Allowing the voter to
his ballot in a room wherein
zone are allowed to enter except
himself, the judges and c'erks of
election and the cha'lengets of the
'espective parties; and no one with
II such enclosure should be allow I
d TO speak to or advise the voter '
MESS advise is requested.
The printing and distribution of t
he ballots should be entirely UNI
le- the control OF the county chair +
nan of each political party. As it
5 now, in counties where the clerk {
, of n different political faith from =
- county chairman. all kinds of r
hstacles are placed in the way of 7
the tickets printed and '
jstrihuted. a
No restriction should be placed .
pom the right of a man to have ,
rs name appear on as many tickets :
$ he con get conventions to nOmi- y
ate him. ANY party which is fool
~ enough to believe that the voter
an be kept bound and tied to that :.
"rtv ~ c"nn;ng'N devised election VI
AVIS viii find in the end that they p,
ave operated to that party's I'M :,
!
| earnestly recommend that YOU ~
met a new election low containing -
re silent features of the Austria +,
ballot. so modified and guard ~
4 as to suit the conditions in this +,
.a'c. =;
Absent Voters Law. II
We have a law allowing men in u
!" employ of the railroad compa- -
ics to vote outside of their pre- a
nets. This statute is very indie -,
and uncertain as to the u
.ethod of the return and -,
& or such votes. = These uncer "
should be cleared up by re- &c
''"'nr that the ballots so cast be vi
turned to the county clerk in en- :.
marked Ballot" so as to N
dicate their contents. The clerk "
lorld be prohibited from opening to
.ch envelopes, except in the pre- CO
of the county commissioners w
Id the pulse present at the cam 81
ISIS OF the vote. NJ
After the vote has been canvas -
d b. the county commissioners -,
ting as a ~canvassing board. the -.
re for state and district officers =: