The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1919-01-14

IN THE December number Of the New Mexico Tax
Review, Mr.. II. J. Hagerman, president Of the
Tax Payers Association Of New Mexico, dis
cnsses New Mcxico's land endowment, W the light
o. the results Of administration of the past ten
years, and with a view TO the future. Mr.. HaFer-
nan statement strikes us ~ one OF the most sensi-
BILE discussions Of The state land policy that we have
stcu. He agrees, as any fair critic must, thai The
New Mexico state land policy and ADMINISTRATION
have been sound. he thinks the method o. select.
ing the lands granted by congress was the best that
could have been adopted under the conditions. Ger.
tninly Il has worked out 20 the vast advantage OF
the state, both a. 70 The character Of the lands
selected, and a. 10 their development and the de-
velopmeni Of the great livestock industry that Is
now 80 largely dependent upon those lands for
Mr.. Hnrerman suggests tina, the sine of tracts
sold w future might be limited TO four sections,
that heihg about the average Of large tracts sold
during the past ave years, or since buying Of state
land became general. lie does not mean 10 restrict
The purchases Of state lands that an individual may
make 10 four sectiuns. but only 10 limit the sizes Of
tracts offered At auction 10 that limit. This, he
thinks. might serve 10 protect the prices of small
areas Of valuable agricultural land which might
be included IN some large tract offered AZ auction.
ON the other hand, the state, under ~ present
policy IL selling IN any size tract for which the
prospective purchaser may apply. has the advant-
nrc Il forces that buyer TO teke the bad land with
the good. No tract Of any great size has ever been
Solo WHICH MXM not iItIuuNU utItu|t ~ ~ AaNN
land which h useless even for the thinnest range
carrying cspneify, which has no value at all except
70 add 20 the buyers taxes. On the whole, the
State has sold some extra good land IN connection
with large tracts, NJ a low price It has also sold
much extra bad land In connection with large
areas. which Il was lucky 70 get rid Of and for
which u received much mare than the land IS now
an ever could be- worth. The state has Jared well
in the average. Our belief is that the present sales
policy. for the welfare Of the state, .Aould be let
alone.
In another suggestion Mr.. Hagerman agrees
with the view Of the present commissioner; with
that Of the late Commissioner Ervien. and with the
annual report Of Commissioner Muller. that the
state shauld reserve sub-surface rights, oil and min
eral, in Telling is tracts " any sire. Such a law will
be offered 10 the present Legislature, for eonsidera'
ton. u haS many poirls Of great merit. The argu-
mcnt against IL, that il will fend 10 depress prices
Of land auctions Is Of doubtful value. The man buy.
ing state land today j. bnying Il either for grazing
pr TO farm. That h as FAR as he looks IN the bid
Ne makes. At least that is a. far a. good business
Judgment win permit him 10 look. We do not
know what resources there are beneath the surface
of the nearly ten million aercs the state still owns.
We would do well 90 reserve the right TO that IN
fcrcsf until we do know.
And this suggests the resources survey Of the
state lands, proposed by the late commissioner, and
by his succes-or, cspt. Muller, IN his report for