New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-10-29
TWO FUNDAMENTAL STATE
QUESTIONS TO DECIDE


stripped OF all camOuflage, there re
mains two, and only two, fundamen-
tai questions of vital importance to
.se decided by the people OF the New
Mexico voters on next Tuesday.
These questions are: .
/. Is Judge Merritt c. Mechem or
Judge r. Harry Hanna the better
qualified and equipped by tempera-
ment. experience and executive abil-
lily, TO serve as governor OF all the
people OF New Mexico?
2. Is it desirable TO repeal the
present law governing road con-
itruction. and, by ratifying the
Democratic state platform, insure
the passage of ar act to abolish the
state highway commission and to
restore to the individual counties
the absolute control of road mat
tiers?
Roads Second Only to Schools
The importance of this second
guInent, when it is considered that
the mileage of public roads in New
Mexico has now reached a total of
nearly Ia times as great as the dis
lance from Boston to Los Angeles.
The question of roads is second
only { the one of schools, and
along both these lines the state has
made great progress in recent years.
Upon the condition OF public roads
hinges a very large revenue coming
from residents of nearly every other
state in the union. II is estimated
that here in Santa Fe, a little city
having less than $500 population,
automobile tourists spend approx
mately $500. a day.
Methods Directly Opposite
There never can be, on one earth,
a campaign in which the two lead
ing candidates on the opposing tick
cts have used methods and tactics
o directly opposed Judge Me-
chem lays no claim to powers OF
oratory. He has placed his reliance
in plain, straightforward statements
as TO his policies and plans. made
IRON the platform in nearly every
county in the state. There has
been a failure in every effort TO
draw him into personalities. The
platform OF the convention from
which he received the nomination
has been the principal text IRON
which he has spoken. He has made
no statements, no insinuations, that
his opponent if elected. would be in
tiuenoed by improper motives, or
would be unduly influenced hv those
whose counsel might not he for the
good OF the people. In an unob-
trusive. dignified way he has kent
retterating that he will do his ut
most II carry GU the platform
pledges, and that any failure TO keep
the iaith Will be through no fault of
his.
Judge Hanna is rated by his
friends and supporters as a speaker
OF unusual power and he speaks up
on numerous occasions between
campaigns. Democratic papers in
advertising some OF his speaking
dates, have characterized his as New,
Mexieo's most distinguished ora
tor Comment on this would be
superfluous.
Deseuneing Since 1911
He began his campaign at Las
Vegas, in his remarks accepting the
of the convention, by
II. o. Bursum, the Re
publican national committe eman,
whom he described as the New
Mexico legislature. But TO be ex-
act, IT is necessary TO say that Han
ma began his denunciation OF Bur
in the campaign OF 1871, and
has hardly stopped since, except for
breathing spells, at rare intervals.
his attacks in this campaign have
been conferred upon everything r.
and the corporations, tn,
later being charged with the Of
tense a tax lodging. aided and abet-
ted by Bursum, who is in the legis-
Careless Use Of Figure,
His tend cncy towards rather ~.
use of figures may be
Illustrated with a single instance. la
Mckinley and Grant counties, he
was showing the difference between
Santa Fe railroad. which PAYS
just proportion OF taxes, and Chino
topper company, Represented as tn
most notorious OF all tax dodgers.
lie asserted that the Santa Re paws
on an assessed valuation Of SlO5. OO0.-
ha Ing been raised bv the state
commis,.o on Ssnp00G over tn,
valuation fixed hy IN. interstate
comus sc commission. The I,.c.
valuation of the Santa F. Is
ush.S4s, II IS shown by the rec
'rds. The mount Of Sl0s V0Op
b. Judge Hanna l. greater
the assessed valuation OF all
he iaiiroads in the state, including
he street railroads.
In a signed story by the CORES
,ondent who has been with the
Hanna party throughout the cam
'aiga. one Of the newspapers quot
ID h1dse hanna as saying in his
pecon q Las Vegas on Thursday:
six hundred million dollars
worth of taxable property is mis- A.,
sing from the New Mexico tax
roll. Six hundred millions OF /.
dollars must be found and as .
soon as possibls. Six hundred :
million dollars in addition 10 the -
amount OF taxable property now
listed IN New Mexico will bring :
this states total almost % 20
that OF her little sister state 4.
Arizona.
Now where is this sum OF
near a third Il a billion 10 be- .
found Go after the Chino
Copper company. Go after :
nineteen othe- corporations and .
go after sone other oto Ms =
dodgers"
Sharks on arithmetic might ask,
How much is a billion TO be ex- I
even when used to describe !
he properly Of the Chino Copper
mpany? They might cite the :
extbooks to show that IL ter |.
undred millions make one billion. /,
~ hundred millions make more I
han near a third OF q billion" At I.
hat, the declaration . much nearer I
ccurate than the one which over :,