The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1919-04-03

We Go to Congress for Land Legislation Let Us Go
United Upon program Thar Will Be Worth While If We Win

II HAS been stated that one Of the plans Of the
ttatc = newly created Soldier Settlement commits.
s'oner n 10 seek a way out Of a defective Law
~ asking congress TO attach nm amendment 70 the
Lane eoidicf settlement bin empowering the state
70 usc lands Hraaied by congress for the funds for
Improvement Of The Rio Grande' and for " Water
hr-rttoirr 20 snsnce the activities Of the state
commission.
II there were no other way IN whicn congress
eoo'd help New Mexico by enaciins new hand lcgis.
Auon Tor this state this proposal might be worth
carrying oui. Il Is, however. a doubtfal remedy fcs
correcting defective homo Legislation. To carry Il out
would require much time and the element II time
required would probably hinder rather than help
the Soldier Settlement commission IN the work for
winch n was created the business Of cooperating
WIN the federal government in land development
and home making for soldiers. The enabling aei
granting iandN 20 New Mexico Tor various purposes
- part Of our state constitution. Were congress to
approve the Legislation suggested. the whole matter
~ the usc ~ these lands FOR purposes other than
those stated Ia the constitution wonld require the
approval Of the people nj an election whieb could
uniy he called by an net Of the Legislature submit.
ting Gh amendment. To accomplish that would take
much time, aud there h fhe possibility that a ma.
lofii, 81 the people might not approve. We would
then be tied ur, ~ 10 onr co-opcration with the fed.
sral government. IN q very hard knot.
II y TO be expected that the legislation proposed
IN The iaane Soldier Settlement net will b. offered
20 the new congress ~ soon as il meets. II j. not an.
likely ihnt the new bill will be more definite Ia IT,
provisions Tor cooperation with the states than was
The Lane bill. II u very likely that the new bill
will propose the expenditure Of much more money
than the Ian bill carried. and that expenditure
WA be more definitely outlined.
Tacking local riders onto legislation VI this Kind
hheciing as Il will the whole nation. will be found
q very difficult business. Requests of this kind for
assistance TO help " out of a local difficulty doubt.
less would result In numerous similar requests from
other states The outcome would be a mass Of petty.
local legislation affecting state land grants and the
public domain which would probably result in re-.
lection of them all.
II we are going 10 congress with a request for
Legislation relating TO public lands. let IA 20 united
upon n broad program that will be worth carrying
out aud that win lead ~ 10 real results. II we win.
We VIII go much further aud get a great deal more
Tor New Mexico II We work toward a real develop.
meni plan. Ia union with the other public land states
A broader and more practical plan than the
proposal 10 amend grants already made would be-
To ask congress % make a special. additional grant
OF nv" million acrcs for the specific work Of the
Soldier Settlement commission. not only for this.
but for the other public land states Such a pro.
posal would attract national attention. II would IN.
tercsi congress. Backed by The argument that each
state wants 20 be ~ a position 10 help in own sol.
dicrs and 20 keep those soldiers NJ home il might
very possibly be approved by congress.
But the broader course vim be TO follow up the