Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-12
NO PRIMARY BILL
IS To De PASSED
At THIS SESSION
Of LEG|sLAT 7 URE
Armijo'S Measure, Least OBJ
jectionabIe Of Three Pend
ing, Is Voted Down by Low
er Branch of Assembly,
OTHER TWO HAVE NO
CHANCE OF PASSING
Steps Are Taken to Do Away
With State Council of De-
fense; House Passes Bill to
ReadjuSt Taxes on Mines,
ESPECIAL orsp.ros 70 MORNING Iousa.Lf

|
| ESPECIAL plsPAroH 70 MORNING JouRHALf
Santa Fe, March 11.-There will
! be no primary election held in New
Mexico for the next two years, at
| least The bill Of lsidro Armijo, the
| least revolutionary of the three meas
ures introduced, was defeated today
and the vote and speeches indicated
that the selection of party candidates
| in that manner Is very unpopular
among the representatives The de-
| feated measure made a primary
mandatory when the voters in any
county voted in favor of 1t. 1t pro-
vided that when 10 per cent of the
voters petitioned therefor, the COM
missioners should submit to a vote at
the NEXT eleotioni the question of
whether a primary should be held in
the county. 1t was considered to
have the best chance because it came
nearer meeting the objections of the
principal opponents. The fact that
1t was beaten is said to indicate that
the bill by Speaker Sedillo and the
one by Mehlhop stand no chance of
passing. The Melhop bill is also op-
tional, but places the power of call
ing primary in the hands of the
Sedillo bill is a mandatory measure,
making primary election the sole
method of selecting candidates for
state and county offices
Fight Was Non-partisan.
The fight on the bill was non-par-
tisan. The opposition was strongest
from members who have resided in
primary states and watched the
working of the plan, Carter of So
corro county said that he was one
of the strongest advocates of the pri-
mary system several years ago in Il
linois. Since then he had been drift
ing westward and said that he had
seen how the plan operated in I'LL
nois, Missouri and oklahoma, and is
now strongly opposed to it. Robert
son, formerly a msmber OF the Texas
legislature, said that his experience
in that state led him to vote against
it. Speaker Sedillo said that the bill
was not broad enough to suit him,
but he thought that it was good
start in the right direction and there
fore he favored it. Armijo made a
strong plea for his bill saying that
1t was a progressive measure and
placed the choice of candidates in the
hands of the people where 1t be-
longs. Melhop made an effort to
have his measure substituted when
a motion by Clancy to strike out the
enacting clause was carried by vote
of 28 to 10.
Exit, Defense Council.
If the senate concurs in the action
of the house and the governor agrees
the state council of defense will be
out of existence ninety days after
bill No. 222, passed by the house to-
day, is signed. The bill provides for
the abolishment of the council and
prohibits the issuance of any mora
certificates of indebtedness or fur
ther expenditures of any part of the
$4,000 remaining in the hands of
the organization The bill was pass
ed without discussion and without
| opposition.
The Armiio bill readjusting mine
| taxes was also passed without oppo-
sition. The measure finally passed
| was a complete substitute, which is
understood to have been compro-
mise bill agreed upon by representa- :
tives of the mine owners and state
officials. Friends of the measure
declare that If enacted the bill will
result in the addition of $500 900 to
! the states revenue.
LABOR Unions Win Fight
Labor unions won out in their
fight against the compulsory arbitra-
ton measure, introduced in the house
by the steering committee. whem tho
report of the special committee ap-
pointed to consult with the labor
representatives was adopted by the
house. The committee met with the
representatives of labor this morn
ing and reported this afternoon. The
report said that the committee had
found the bill to be Objectionable be-
, cause it provided that the proposed
board of arbitration was to be perma- :
nent and that it might become auto
cratic; also that the penalties pro-
posed were excessive. The report
was adopted unanimously.
New Mexico is perhaps the first
state to pass a dog tax bill without
| a voice being raised in defense of
Old Tige. The bill was simply called
up and passed under suspension of
the rules as a matter of routine. j.
IT. Robertson after 1t was over re-
called that many years ago IN Ar
kansas a member of the legislature
introduced Just such a measure and
it proved his political death. How
ever he said that ten years later the
| legislature switched around and pass
ed bill like the one proposed blythe
! pioneer. The bill passed today was
| endorsed by the sheep men of the
state.
Big Appropriation Measure.
The first big appropriation meas
ure for conducting the state insti-
tntions was passed today. 1t was the
bill carrying 100000 for the state
charitable institutions It carries
| $65. 700 for the deaf and dumb insti-
! tute. Herbert made an effort to
amend it to carry $4,000 for the
construction of a hospital for the
military institute, but the amend
( ment was rejected Judge Barnes
explained that it was the intention
to care for the charitable institutions
in this bill and that the military in
stitute would be taken care of in the
general appropriation bill.
Pass Gasoline Tax Bill.
| The gasoline tax bill. one of the
governors measures to raise more
revenue, was also passed after a stiff
| fight, by vote Of 26 to 16. The
measure was amended by changing
the standard q gssoiins which NAV
WI (Contiuued ON Paca Two