The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-09-05
Discovery of Discrimination against This County in
Road Funds Is "Jot": But Good Will Come of It,

~ ISCONERY of the fact that lIcrnAlillo county
enjoys IL per cent of state and federal aid
road building funds available for New Mex
iro, has some as a severe Jolt to the recently
organized and energetic Good Roads Bureau oil the
Chamber Of Commerce.
The Roads Bureau, having organized, sent out
n call on August 80 for a meeting on September y.
In this call il was pointed out that Bernalillo county
is spending less than one-half rs much on It's roads
as some of the neighboring counties. There was a
reason with which the Roads Bureau was not ac-
quaintcd. The state engineer came down for the
meeting and explained the reason. He delivered
the jolt
In it's call the Roads Bureau also said, Let us
not blame anybody but ourselves for these condl-
lions, as we, as citizens, have never made any organ
lied, continuous effort to improve them.
The Bureau was right in this latter statement.
We have nobody but ourselvea to blame. when, HAY
ing failed 10 look out for our own interests we are
suddenly ioltcd into the realization that no one
has taken the pains to look out for them for us.
1t is not fair To unload the blame for our climb
nation from the states road building program, up
on our members OF the Legislature. The membe" OF
the Legislature who takes his job seriously has large
numbers of bills TO read and large numbers of things
10 do. His sixty days in the assembly Is u whirl and
a whiz. Things move fast. especially toward the
end Of u session, when most of the legislation Is en-
acted. 1t is not surprising that this discrimination
against Bcrnalillo county in the 1917 road law
should have got by the five men who were rep
ftSclllllR tnls county III lHhl ltElNldiuI'. u XVI
by everyone else likely ~ lie Interested in our
welfare.
The Chamher of Commerce directors were right
and no more than fair IN refraiuing from criticism
of our Legislative members and Of the assembly as
a whole. The action in appointing a committee to
cooperate with our memberg in the next session TO
correct this injustice, is proper. The Chamber of
Commerce however, might go further in providing
assistance for our members of the legislature. IL
could, and we believe it should provide, ii not IA
committee. then a single representative, preferably
a lawyer, whose business it would be 10 sean care
fully all legislation with a view of finding just such
things as this road law :" jolt. - Such a man need not
and should not be a lobbyist. He should not be en-
ploycd TO promote the passage of Legislation, or TO
work against legislation TO which wc are opposed.
The members can attend to that. But such a man
would be invaluable as a guard against iokcrs his
aid would be appreciated by the members from
this county, He could perform very important
service.
This road law joker of which We are the butt,
does not seem 90 have been noted by any one CON
ccrned, until time came TO apportion money 10 this
county. Then We go il, This county, standing near
the top of the roll of counties in assessed valuation,
gets less of the state highway funds, raised by tax