New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-02-21
LAWS Wise AND
OTHERWISE Be-
FORE THE SOLONS
GOVERNOR INVESTIGATES
DRAINAGE WHILE TAXES
AND ROADS RECEIVE AT.
TENT1ON OF BOTH OF THE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES

Inspecting tn. RIO Grande valle,
from Albuquerque to El Paso an,
making study OF he requirement.
Of the land from an engineering
and a farming standpoint Coverro,
Larrazolo accomnanied by a number
Of the state leading developers anc
technical men made a tour this week
which has resulted in his recommen.
dation to the legislature that laws
be passed at this session making Il
possible for the state TO cooperate
with the reclomation service and
making further state approprie.
tion for this purpose.
The party travelling in automobile
left Albuquerque Thursday morning
They were sp scially entertained a,
Palomas Springs, Socorro. Las Cru
ees. State College and Ell Paso, where
they arrived Saturday evening. On
Sunday the Governor and hi, parry
were the guests of the Juarez Chamb
or of Commerce in Mexico.
L. N. Lawson project manager OF
the federal reclamat on service act
ed as guide. Extensive plans for the
reclamation Of the lower Rio Grande
Valley have been worked OF BY
State Engineer lanes A French. an,
within the first few wee''s the United
States reclamation service has ,ent
experts TO profit 'bv ne nrelim nary
work done by the state The a'titud. OF
the government men who have
reviewed tn work i; that he drain
age system worked out is excellent
and that federal i'd is a probability.
Raise Engineers Sal-ry
A bill was passed in the hous. on
Monday th's week raisinr I've salary
Of the state engineer 20 S}CO9 q year.
This office h0s jurisdiction over
water rights, drainage and rriga Jon
problems and is separate from the
office of state highway engineer.
To Classify Mines
A bill introduced in the state
senate by J. V. Tully on Mondav.
looks to the taxing of mines accord
ing to their value and not on a ncr7
centage of their prof. and outrut,
and is in the direction of tax reform
urged by the state tax commission
after a study and experience with
The existing law. The fully bll
would classify mines into ten divi-
sions as in Arizona.
Press Bill lntr ,duced
The senate this week received the
bill advocated by the New Mexico
press associat on calling for a lust
.ate on legal advertising. It was
introduced by Senator Reinhure
School Superintendents to Qualify
A bill by Mersf lder requiring that
county school superintendents be
holders of first grade teachers GER
t'ficate was received as was a mea-
sure fixing the salary Of game war
den and deputies.
Land For Soldiers
Besides introducing bills along the
w, H. H. Llewellyn offered n the
house an act setting aside SfOO.CGN
nnexpended council of defense funds
for cooperation with the United
States government in settling sol
diers and sailors on publ'c lands.
Solons Pace Increases
Lengthier sess ons and more MORN
ing me etings. have marked the pre-
sent week, with the probability ap-
pearing that II ght sessions will be
held by the legislature to a large ex-
tent through the remainder of tn
term.
Taxes and Roads
Forecasting that taxable valuations
in New Mexico will prove to be from
ten to twelve millions less than IN
the past two years there is a disposi-
tion among members of the legisla-
ture to further cut the governors
budget, estimates. On the other hand,
state institut on heads and their
friends in the legislature declare
that the lowering OF tn ,ir appropria-
tions beyond what they have been
will handicap them.
To the question of tax burden has
been added the consideration of the
effect of state bond issues for road
and other purposes. In addition to
the 81 $4,000 already appropriated
by the federal government. for roads |
In New Mexico, the U. S. senate has
passed an additional $l.597.57l post /,
roads bill making a total of nearly I,
100000 available for the fiscal
year beginning next June. AS the
state and counties have shown a |
to match the federal aid
it is probabl. that large
bond issues will appear soon. NV I
Mex;co's program for roads alone. |
if federal appropriations are tateu
advantage of will run to about Sll,-
100000 in the coming three years.
U. 8. Taxes Additional
New Mexico paid two and a half
millions m federal taxes last year
according to a recent report of the
collector of internal revenue which
is two and a half times the amount !
Of state taxes. This condition is
pointed out bv conservative m ambers
Of the legislature as an argument
for exercising care in passing appro-
priations. The federal taxes are
levied on personal and corporation
incomes and on excuses.
To End Defense Council
Clancy and Blanchard introduced
IN the house Tuesday bill repeat J.
ing the creation of the state council
Of defense. which was established
turing the last special session of the
legislature. The continuance of the
defense council to look after re-
reclamation and settle
nent problems has been advocated
y the governor and from other