The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1919-03-07
LEGIsLATURE HAS ENTERED
TIiE LAST LAP or SESSION
Usual Number ~ BlIls introduccd
Proposing Various and sundry
Kinds of statutory Reforms.

few days away. the closing days OF
The session are 10 be busy. with
night sessions the rule. The present
session has been remarkable for the
failure of the republican majority
TO date At least--io pass any cspc-
cially meriiorious laws for the bcnc-
ilt Of the people OF New Mexico.
Though overwhelmingly Ia the ma
iority. the republicans have had
serious indifferences Of opinion aud
the inability Of Republican Floor
Leader Barnes Of the house 10 hold
the members In line has resulted In
almost endless squabbling over bills
of every description.
The most important business up
for this week In the senate Is the
general appropriation bill. There
u talk that determined effort II
10 be made 10 abilsh the state
boundary commission. although any
existing contracts will he held 10 be-
valid.
senators Kerr and bryant started
a ripple OF excitement when they
introduced a resolution asking for
a detailed report of the expcndi-
lures Of the state Council Of De-
fcnse. for which an emergency
appropriation Of sl50,0O0 was voted
At a special session Of the legislature
soon after the outbreak Of the war
The house has awakened to the
necessity Of getting busy II II is 10
clean up It's calendar. The most
important bills on the calendar are
the educational and health hills. The
governors bi-linRual bill has been
redrafted by the committee on edu-
cation so that the teaching Of Span
ish IN the public schools and higher
educational institutions is made OPP
tiOnal with the students.
Representative Ralph A. Lynd
sprung a surprise when hc intro
duced and had adopted by unani-
nous vote a resolution calling Tor
an ilemiEed accounting by the state
boundary commission.
The house passed n hill aholishing
the state superintendent of insur-
ance.
Speaker 4. A. Sedillo and Repre-
sentative W. n. H. Llcwellyn bit
terly llayed the Santa Fc New Mex
lean for intimating that Llewellyn
had made away with" the public
health bill. which is alleged Ia have
got lost In the shuttle. Their cx-
tended remarks amused house and
galleries alikc. though made In all
seriousness
\ better mine law is needed IN
New Mexico. This Is generally con
cedcd. but members OF the legisln-
turc are at sea rs Ia what changes
should be- made In the present law
The state will need more rcvenu,
the next two years, hui where II Is
Ia come from has not yet beer
agreed upon. Increasing the Tax ~
mines has been quite generally sug
gested rs one way Ia get more rev.
enue, and This might work sntisiac
lorily II the output had RENAME,
about the same as Il was In the wal
period. But the mines are cuttinl
down production. II Is reported tina
u cut Of 20 per cent has already beet
made aud that the output will h
cut 50 per cent before the year !
over. The supply of copper on ham
In the United States is above IN
requirements for the normal annua
consumption. Europe Is fairly wei
stocked with copper as we'll, I
sympathy with The decrease Ia meta
production comes a decrease In Goa
and coke production Gold produc
lion also fell OF last year In IA
state. only one mine reporting profit
for taxation In the face NJ this sit
uation II is agreed that the lcgisla
iure must be careful In adiusiin
the matter 80 rs not 10 further dis
courage mining in the state.
The tax commission has sper
nearly a month studying mine re-
I ports and holding hearings 10 ~
first hand information before nxin
the mine tax for the year. Repre-
sentalivcs Of leading mining con
panics have been called In "a
further hearings. \ large nunlbs
Of these representatives attended
hearing recently. II is hoped I'M
this may open the way for solu
ton Of the mine tax problem on
the cnacimspi Of a fair mine ia
4 law.
The Farmingion-A Albuquerque higl
way bill is apparently still in II
Z mir n qepmpd ihal All inierpafe Ia