866 NEW MEXICO 



road fund, and county road boards were created in place of road supervisors. A bond issue 

 of $500,000 was authorised for constructing and maintaining state highways. Counties are 

 authorised to issue bonds for roads and bridges. 



Government. The convention which met at Santa Fe from October 3 to November 

 21, 1910 drafted a constitution (adopted Jan. 21, 1911, by a popular majority of 18,000), 

 to which one amendment in regard to the method of amending the constitution was made 

 at the general election in November 19 n. 1 The bill of rights in the constitution is 

 unusual only in that it alludes to the privileges guaranteed by the Treaty of Guadalupe 

 Hidalgo. The capital may be removed from Santa Fe by popular vote, but not before 

 1925. The article (IV) on legislation provides that the people " reserve the power to 

 disapprove, suspend and annul any law enacted by the legislature," except general 

 appropriation laws and emergency acts; petitions of " disapproval " must be filed four 

 months before a general election and must be signed by 10% at least of the qualified 

 electors of each of three-fourths of the counties (the aggregate to be at least 10% of 

 the total number of votes cast at the last general election). The measure is annulled 

 if a majority (at least 40% of the number of votes cast at the last general election) vote 

 against it. If a petition of disapproval is signed by 25% of the qualified voters and is 

 filed within 90 days after the legislature adjourns, the measure disapproved is rendered 

 inoperative until the general election. The senate consists of 24 members (each at least 

 25 years old) elected for four years; and the house of 49 members, elected for two years. 

 In 1912 an amendment was adopted striking out the requirement that legislators and 

 state officers must be able to read, write, speak and understand English. A statute of 

 1912 excludes from public office or employment persons convicted of felonious or in- 

 famous crime. Legislators receive $5 a day during sessions and 10 cents a mile for 

 mileage. At special sessions, called by the governor, no business may be transacted 

 not specified in his proclamation. Any bill may originate in cither house. The govern- 

 or may veto, within three days, Sundays excepted, any measure, or, in an appropriation 

 bill, any item; and bills may be passed over his veto by a two-thirds vote of the members 

 present and voting in each house. General appropriation laws and special emergency 

 acts, if passed by a two-thirds vote, and containing an emergency clause, go into effect 

 immediately; other laws not until 90 days after the legislature adjourns. The legisla- 

 ture is to " enact laws to prevent trusts, monopolies and combinations in restraint of 

 trade." Bribery or the undue use of influence for legislation is declared a felony punish- 

 able by a maximum fine of $1,000 or by one to five years' imprisonment; the statutes of 

 1912 include a corrupt practices act and a bribery law. 



The executive officers are elected for four years, and must be citizens of the United 

 States, at least 30 years old, residents of New Mexico for five years. They are: governor 

 (annual salary 85,000); lieutenant governor; secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, 

 attorney-general, superintendent of public instruction and commissioner of public lands. 

 In 1912 the governor was authorised to appoint a legal adviser; and a department of fish and 

 game was created. There are a supreme court with three justices (the legislature may increase 

 the number to five after 1920) elected for eight years (salary, $6,000); eight district courts 

 (l judgein each district, term six years, salary 84,500); and probate courts in each county. 



Suffrage is granted to every male citizen of the United States over 21, resident in New 

 Mexico 12 months, in the county 90 days and in the election precinct 30 days; excepted are 

 idiots, insane, persons convicted of felonious or infamous crime (unless restored to political 

 rights) and Indians not taxed. By statute, railway employees, if necessarily absent from the 

 precinct in which they registered and qualified, may vote elsewhere. At school elections, 

 which must be held at different times from other elections, women possessing the same 

 qualifications of age and residence may vote unless a majority of the qualified voters of a 

 district 30 days before the election petition the board of county commissioners "against wo- 

 man suffrage." There must be a similar petition for women 's voting before they are restored 

 to suffrage. Women may hold office on boards of education, or be school directors or county 

 school superintendents. 



Amendments to the constitution may be proposed in either house and if passed by a 

 majority vote in the legislature must be advertised in one newspaper in each county (both 

 in English and Spanish, if there are newspapers in both languages) at least two weeks before 

 the general election, and at the general election must receive a majority of the votes cast on 



1 This amendment was adopted because Congress had refused to admit New Mexico to 

 statehood unless the provision in the original constitution were changed. 



