Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-16
THURSDAY. JANUARY 16, 1919
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

Governor Larrazolo's message to
the legislature Is one of the most COM
plete documents ever presented for
the consideration and guidance of any
state law-making body,
The program outlined is compre-
hensive one. Not all Of It will be car
riod out, but the most important rec
concentrations should become effec-
tive at the earliest possible moment
The message is notable for tho radi-
cal changes proposed in the education
of the state. Governor Larra2olo
speaks will. knowledg, gained from
practical experience. Not enough
money is spent for education, and the
suggesticns trat the stgtr tax foe pub
lie school p lrposes be iEcrcased from
one-half mill to MN and 4 half IS q
good one.
That, whore possible to secure
teachers qualified. both Spanish and
English should be used hy the teach
or in all schools where the Spanish
language is the tongue Of the children,
is n correct theory. Only in that way
can the Spanish speaking children
learn the English language.
Whether teaching the Spanish Ian
guage should be made compulsory in
the four grades Of The high schools
ana in the four grades Of the institu-
ton of higher learning, is matter
for discussion. But there is no qucs-
ton that a working knowledge of the
Spanish is far moro desirable now,
particularly for New McXico's boys
and girls, than IS such knowledge of
any language other than the English,
Vast opportunities for profitable
employment and business are opened
with the countries Of Latin America.
In this state. rs in no other, the stu
dent can gain a colloquial knowledge
of the Spanish tongue, thing usually
impossible for him in any other for
cign language. II is because of the
commercial use he can make of the
Spanish that the student is urged by
Governor Larrazolo to become ac-
quainted with it.
The Spanish is also the language of
a great literature, and acquaintance
with it makes it easy to become ia
milar with both French and Italian,
to say nothing of the Portuguese the
language most closely related to the
Spanish. Portuguese is the language
of the great republic of Brazil.
If any foreign language is to be re-
quired, beyond doubt it should he the
Spanish.
The recommendation for free text
books where parents are too poor, to
buy them, is in line with what the
Journal has long advocated
That two more years in the schools
should be compulsory. is a move in
the right direction, No boy or girl
should be without schooling before
the age of sixteen is reached, and the
governor would have been nearer
right if he had recommended the adj
dtion of three years, instead of two.
The best business investment that
could possibly be made by the state
of New Mexico would be in the better
far better-educato OF the chill
dren of the state.
OF course, that relating to educa-
ton was only one of many recon-
mendations made by Governor Lara =
zolo in his address. But it was by far
the most important.
The reduction of the number of
members of the tax commission and
the payment of salaries to the men,
bers, is a matter for consideration.
The creation OF department of pub
lie health is being urged, and some
thing of the sort doubtless will be
done. But a health board. with an
executive secretary, would seem to the
Journal to meet all requirements. No
one wants poor doctor at the head
of such board. and no good doctor
would give his time for any salary tho
state would pay.
Let It be said here that the tempta.
ton TO create boards is a dangerous
one. Boards, like whiskey, opium and
cocaine. have their uses, but like
these same drugs. they are liable &c
abuse. La Toilette burdencd the state
Of Wisconsin with boards until it took
a political revolution to abolish about
twenty of them. If we created all the
commissions and boards, for which
well-intentioned people ask, Capitol
hill in Santa Fe would not accommo-
date the buildings required to house
them.
The reclamation Of water-logged