Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-12-28
"THE DAWN OF THE NEW DAY"

II New Mexico is to avoid bankruptcy and stag
nation she must face stern state of facts con-
corning her financial situation To ignore it because
it is difficult and unpleasant, because the facts if
known, would interfere with the machine building
program of politicians is to prove us incapable of
efficient self government
The announcement has been made that the tax
rate in Albuquerque this year will be AZ mills
Other communities in as bad a predicament
Just think of the effect who is con-
templating bringing few thousand dollars to AL
buquerque for investment. Four and one-fifth per
cent out of earning of six eight per cent must
go for taxes-unless he lies to the assessor. Such a
tax rate bears with awful weight upon the little
home owner whose property is in view and who
cannot escape Who will build houses to meet our
serious housing famine in the face of such condi-
tons? Especially when he that by keeping it
in "intangibes'' he probably escape taxation
upon it?
1t is the rank and file of ttleproperty owners
who should demand change from the present sys-
TEN of political to system of professional
assessors. who know their business and are out of
reach of political punishment by those who demand
exemption.
Under our present system millions of dollars
of property never get on the tax rolls because OF
the incompeency Incidence of the assessor, who
was chosen because of his vote getting qualities
Millions more escape through connivance by bis
property to select their friend as assessor
Added to this the millions upon millions which
have escaped adequate taxation by reason of spec
cial laws having been eontrved to allow its escape
and you will find, in the aggregate, at least $780,
900 600 OF property in this state escaping taxation
If this property were all the tax rolls the
burden of taxation would be spread over twice the
volume of assessed valuations. Will the people be
Indifferent to serious problem which bears with
such weight upon them?
The beneficarics of the present system find
plenty of for attacking the Journal but
none of these they give is the real reason. They
dare not say "the Journal insists upon our paying
our share of taxes" They know the people would
quite agree then, with the Journals policy Sc
they say, THE journal is personal and assas men
regulations" "The Journal is a and dis
turber of business conditions" "The editor of the
journal has political ambitions and is merely trying
to ride into office on popular ISSUE" etc.
The strange thing is that many perfectly con-
scientious people fall for" this sort of stuff which
is fed them by those who would escape carrying
their just burdens.
The Journal "personal?" 1t has never gone into
the private life of a single politician in New Mex
leo. But, the conditions have recited above did
not create themselves. Men created them The
who did create them must be made to feel the
sting of censure for their perfidy to the people
Men who are in position to correct them must have
the white light turned upon them until publicity
c0mpelS COfTeCuOH
The Journal "dsturber of business" Quite the
contrary the Journal is the best friend legitimate
business has in New Mexico But, if our critics mean
disturber of political-business or business in
politics, we plead guilty, Big business must get out
of politics in New Mexico and stay out. 1t must quit
writing laws to suit it's taX-evading whim 1t must
admit that it is not bigger than the government of
the state. 1t will itself trouble by recog-
nizing and acquiescing in this new condition which
nIISt tO which
sarcastically call our Dawn of the New Day" We
of it as a term Of approbrium they attrbutine
TO us the credit for the new conditions which
daily grow contamination.
AS to the political ambitions of editor, the
people have way of sitting on" the ambitions OF
men whom they do not wish in office. They will
attend to properly when we run for office-it
do. We not running now and all such talk
is buncombe to mslead the pepole.
Conditions, then, must be corrected the side
OF income. They must be corrected also, the side
of out-go.
In order to provide jobs for worthy henchmen
many useless offices have been created. For in
stance the mounted police cost you $4,000 year.
Yet two such officers, subject to the governors
5rders could be sent to parts of the state where it
was thought they We're needed and do all that
is necessary. Possemen could be sworn in for tenn
porary service in emergency. Forty thousand dollars
of this fifty thousand is thrown away.
We cite but the one illustration. There are
many others. But expenses must be cut down. The