The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-02-05
TAKE YOUR CHOICE

DOM political parties inserted panks in their platforms last
Il autumn piedging their representatives. TO submit TO the people a
- constitutional amendment providing for a non-partsan commits,
sion to manage the state lands.
4 great deal of misinformaton about the state lands and their
management had been disseminated during the preceding ten years
Most of this was political ammunition. The net result was to produce
no serious defect has yet been disclosed in the operation .. the pres.
years and charge him with the duty of administration.
Toward carrying out this pledge, contained in both party plat
forms, we have up TO the present time, three definite proposals for
legislation preliminary to their submission to the people.
institutional and land board" be created TO have charge of ali the
state institutions and all the state lands. on the theory that it is highly
desirable to have the state lands administered by the same AUTHORITY
that shall have the spending of the funds derived thercfrom.
We have our doubts about whether this is either desirable prac-
tie" or sound principle We doubt that a board competent to man
age a university; an agricultural college, an insane asylum, a school
for the deaf and a trio OF norma schools, could also function eff
cently in leasing and selling grazing lands.
Also the institutions proposed for representation on this board
and the revenues thercfrom. Management of the remainder of the
lands owned by the state, it is to be presumed, would be dumped in
Just how much a board would be made non partisan" /. not dis.
closed. 1, would he appointed by the governor, under the special
revenue com lission S plan.
1t is easy to see fifty ways in which such a board would fail to
work efficiently. 1t is difficult to SEE a single way in which it would
work an improvement over the present system Of state land manage
mcnt.
1t would be more practical simply to provide that the heads of
the various state institutions should be, xoffcio, members of the
state land board. There is one chance in three that such u board
might be non partisan, What else it would be, IS a board of land
managers. is open to question and more extended chances.
The two other specific suggestions have come from the sub.com.
mittce Of the senate finance committee, appointed TO brief the report
OF the special revenue commission and make recommendations there
from Thi" subcommittee consisted of one democrat and one repub-
The democrat proposed a non partisan board to be appoin,ed by
Inc governor.
The republican proposed a single commissioner, to be appointed
by the governor.
Under our system of government any governor we elect will be
a partisan, or at least, a party's choice. Any board any governor
might appoint would not be a non partisan board. Any commission
cr appointed by any governor would not be a bipartisan commits
sionrr.
just how either OF these proposals would improve the present
plan by which the people elect a commissioner every two years, has
not been disclosed. The subcommittee referred TO did not go into
details.
Trying TO make a non partisan government out of a government
of political parties is the fsvorte indoor sport Of theorists and per.
sons who are not, but would like TO be, in office. Perhaps it can
be- done with the New Mexico state land management; and we are
waiting with keen interest for further proposals.
In the meantime you can TAX. your choice of what has been
offered.