The Clayton news. (Clayton, N.M.) 19??-1954, 1921-02-19
SPECIAL LEGISLATION
Albuquerque Journal


There is no doubt lhat the cattle
and sheep industries are among the |
most important inNhe state. There /
is also no doubt that an eula""@-
exists i'm these indul .es re-
quires careful consideration. To thisl
theory the journal heartily sub
scribes
ON the other hand special class
legislation is one of the greatest
dangers which besets America.
I'm The past il has been a practice
in New Mexico, indulged in with
too little thought. no organize an
industry and to send representa-
lives of that organization before the
legislature, has been TO procure
whatever was demanded. whether
wisdom and justice to all dictated
such a course, or not.
Men with political ambitions are
VIGOROUSLY afraid of their shadows
The fear that they may antagonize
some powerful influence, leads them
to acquiescence. Very often that ac-
quiesccncc stamps them with weak
ness in the eyes of the public and
20 their aspirations. The crying
need in our public life is men with
the courage of their convictions To
do the right thing Will in the end,
contribute moro To permanent sue
cess than any other course. The
right thing is the expedienl thing
i'm the long run.
I'm 1917 the initial payment for the
purchase of public lands was re-
1uced from ten per cent to five
per cent and the time for deferred
payments changed from thirty equal
annual installmems to "any Old
time" within thirty years This was
done i'm response To the argument
that the state would benefit by get
ting these lands on the tax rolls at
fun values. 10 sounded plausible and
the state acquiesced.
In 1919 pressure brought to bear
upon the legislature by organiza7
nrcduced the assessment from
fhll valuation to 40 per cent val
uaiiOn. Others were paying on full
valuation i'm spite OF outstanding
mortgages against their land This
was distinctly class legislation and
was probably unconstitutional, but
no one attacked it.
Now in 1921, taking advantage Of
a sympathetic public, -the next step
is being taken and this assessment
valuation is being reduced to . per
Gent instead of 20 per cent
Presumably Two years from now
an attack will bc made upon Che
payment of the I per cent interest
TO the state upon the deferred pay
ments.
Perhaps four years from now we
will have progressed to point
where the legislature will be asked
to buy the feed for these worthy
gentlemen.
Loss of revenues To the state is
by no means The least of the dam
age resulting from this course by
the legislature. Class legislation is
a breeder of disconlent and bolshe-
Vism People grow angry at gov
crnmcnt which loads HE burden of
taxation back upon them in order
to favor a special few Their gricV-
ance is a Just one and those too
cowardly TO resist it are unworthy
misrepresentatiyes of the whole
people
The ranchcr or stockman who
owns his own land is suffering from
the present conditions of the market
just as is the purchaser or lessee
of school lands To grant special
Financial favors to the public lessee
is TO decrease the rental or selling
value of the property of the bona
fide owner OF other lands.
lt is all wrong, but a good stiff
organization is putting it across
The "little tax payer pays the
freight
The Journal warns legislator and
lobbyist alike that such conduct ul-
timately will bring its own harvest
of discredil and ruin.
I'm the end lhc few will find il
Improbable 10 have benefited at
the expense of the many
Both republican and democratic
members of the legislature have
been offenders I'M this respect Our
comment is therefore without p0-
litical significance. individuals must
bear the burden Of the records they
are making
Other class legislation is in sight
viii public opinion stand it2