New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-01-31

In Favor Of Three Cent Fare
Reflccting the suggest'o contain
ed in the annual report of the state
corporation commission just filed
with Governor Larrazolo a resolu-
ton stvlcd house Joint memorial
was introduced in the house of re-
presentatives this week by Isidoro
Armiio .and r. l.. Baca and passed
by that body, calling upon the Unitc.i
States railway administration to re-
duce railway fares in New Mexico
from prevailing rate of four cents
to three cents mile.
At the present time, New Mexico
Arizona and Nevada are the only
states in the Union in which pas
senrer fare Of 4 cents a mile is
CHARGED on federal controlled lines
A vigorous protest has ben made
by this Commission against this dis
elimination. and the matter is still
under consideration. Director {. A.
Prouty. of the Division of Public
Service. informed member OF the
Commission that he favored placing
New Mexico on an equality with
the other states having three-cent
fare. but that some of his coIleagaiAs >
in the railroad administration were
opposed to it on the ground Of the
loss OF revenue involved, With the
support Of Director Proutv there
is some prospect that This discrimi-
ratior may be removed and tNat a
uniform fare of 3 cents will be
charged the country over. " this
is done, it will be one of the good
things growing out of federal opera
tion Of the railroads.
Or-osition to Free P9o',s
An informal caucus of Democrats
is said to have revealed m inclina-
tion TO oppose the free teNt book
law recommended by the governor
on the ground that the state cannot
al expense involved, Though the
measure is meritorions, it would
mean an added burden of from $500
600 to Ss00'0O0 a year according to
comparisons of the cost of text
books in other states where they are
furnished free to school CHI ldren.
Some of the Republican members
are stated to be opposed to the pas
sage of the measure at this time
on the same general grounds.
New Counties Proposed
A bill dividing Grant county. one
dividing Curry county and making
Melrose a new county and one that
world cut Socorro county in two are
talked of. OF these the Grant county
bill seems the most likely of passage
at this time. if its provisions seem
satisfactory to the people within III
present boundaries of Grant. The
Melrose project has the backing of
lobby who claim to have the sigma
tures of Clovis business men to q
contract entered into some time ago
to use their Influence in that direc-
ton. 1t is claimed that the Melrose
people assisted in the original estab-
iishment of Curry county with the
understanding that they were to be
helped later in making a second par
tition of Curry The SOcorro pro-
iect is less definitely defined and
seems to rest on the general pro-
position that Socorro county as it
now stands is about the fifth in size
of the counties of the United States,
and that distances to the county seat
appearing sometime to be 500 miles
in collecting witness charges at court
sessions involving remote districts,
are too long for economical manage
rent of county affairs.
Torrance county may ask this ses-
sion to eliminate some of THE town
ships of Bernalillo county and apply
them to Torrance for much the same
reasons.
House Rules Adopted
This week witnessed the adoption
by, the house OF. its rules for the
session which had been delayed
for various causes, including the in
ability of members of the committee
on rules to find a suitable time to
meet. The rule making it necessary
for all measures carrying. appro-
priations to pass through the com
mittee on finance, of which w. H. II
Lieweilyn is chairman and including
a dozen members representing all
sections of the state. was adopted.
Governor Preparing Budget |
Governor Larrazo1o has continued
through the week to hold confer
ences with the heads of various
state departments at stated hours. |
The governor has been suffering
with a severe cold, which has caused
his rigorous program to be some
what relaxed. so that a complete
budget probably will be delayed and
will now probably not be presented
to the legislature until several days
after February ;, the last date on
which he had invited department
heads to confer with him.
Teachers Salary Bill
M. De Vargas has introduced in
the house a bill, house bill No. 8. !
placing the minimum monthly salary
for teachers at $50 for those holding
third grade certificates, SIS for sec
ond grade teachers. and 500 for
those holding first grade certificates.
The law provides a small fine or
jail term for mm;ssioners or sup
erintendents who shall willingly en-
oloy teachers for less pay.
Capitol Extension Bill
R. L. Baca Of Santa Fe also in
troduced in the house the bi1l provid-
ing for . direct appropriation Of
$4,000 to build an extension of the
capitol which would relieve the
crowded condition Of dAe State de-