Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-01-10
Truaied Pheasant, Partridge, Wood
SPECIAL MESSAGE.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE. TERRITORY OF N. M
Santa Fe, January 10, 1889.
! Tothe Legislative Assembly OF the Ter
ritory of New Mexico.
| Gentlemen of the Assembly:
have the honor to transmit herewith
the official reports required by law of the
territorial auditor, the territorial treasurer,
the adjutant general, the cattle sanitary
board, the capitol building committee and
the territorial geologist.
The financial condition of the territory,
as shown by the reports of the auditor
and treasurer, is not of satisfactory
character, and illustrates in most fore
ible manner the need of radical reform
in financial legislation and administra-
ton.
At the convening of the 9th legislative
assembly, Dec. q, 1887, the funded debt
of the territory was $3.50 1000 and the
amount of outstanding warrants or float
ing debt, $203,ll7.92, making a total in
debtedness of 1868, 1872. Stree that date,
under the operation Of the legislation, and
failure Of legislation, of that session, the
public debt has increased to $762, 1872 as
follows:
Capitol building bonds of 1884 4........ .$2OO,0 900
Penitentiary building bonds of 1884 .. 100000
Current expense bonds of 1887 .......... 10000
Capitol contingent fund bonds of 1851. 5000
Outstanding warrants to Dec. Is, 1888 ... 2l2,l92
s762,l92
Showing an increase in the public debt
in two years Of ................ .$200,G7
The face value of warrants issued dur
ing the same time was $512, 1922, and
the cash receipts of the treasurer general
fund), 1857, 1922, leaving deficit of
$155 ,63l 90.
The cost of maintaining the courts, or
judicial system Of the territory for the past
two years has been 1927 ,056.26.
The excessive fee bills, jury exemptions
and increase of salaries, enacted by the
last legislative assembly, while RESPONSE
BILE in large part for this enormous in
crease in the public expenses, are by no
means the sole cause of that increase.
The average of 20 per cent discount on
treasury warrants, which correspondingly
increased the cost Of all purchases by the
territory, also added materially to this in
crease in expenses.
1t is apparent that the only and ines
capable end of this condition Of affairs,
unless duly remedied, is public bankrupt
cy. Our tax rates are exceptionally low,
but there is no necessity for an increase.
A system of taxation that will fall alike
upon all the property of the territory and
competent of rigid enforcement upon all
alike, coupled with radical yet reasonable
reduction of official fees and other expen-
ditures, would speedily recuperate the pub
lie credit represented in the territorial
warrant, and enable us in due time to be-
gin the rapid discharge Of all outstanding
obligations.
1t should be borne in mind in making
provision for the reduction of the expense
of our judicial system, that the sum of
more than 100000 a year, which the
courts are now costing the territory, is not
the full amount of court costs laid upon
the tax payer. That is simply the amount
paid through the public treasury. 1t may
be safely estimated that the additional
fees paid by litigants and all having busi-
ness transactions with the courts amount
to fully half as much more, or in all $3.50,
600 year, and this is in addition to ex-
penses paid by the United States. There
are numberless and expensive fees and
costs paid by litigants to court officials,
far beyond the value Of the services rem
dered, which demand restrictive legisla-
ton quite as imperatively as the same
class of charges upon the public treasury.
When the court costs of litigation res>h
that point where in ordinary cases the
fees and costs consume the amount in
volved, the situation verges upon the point
of denial of justice, and makes resort
to the courts for the settlement of dis
putes mockery and farce.
The report of the adjutant general con-
tains valuable and important recommend
ations which respectfully urge upon the
consideration of the legislative assembly
more especially provision for the pay
ment of the certificate of indebtedness is-
sued for services in repelling Indian in
vasions in 1885. These amount in all to
some $4,000. The services rendered
were of great value to the territory, and it
is apparent that but for the calling out of
the militia at that time, vastly greater
number Of lives of the frontier settlers
would have been sacrificed and corre-
spending values Of property destroyed, and
the Indian war protracted to the still more
serious obstruction of settlement and
development. The people of the whole
territory had the protective benefits of
that service, and should not hesitate over
the payment of it's very reasonable cost.
| The territory must legally recognize
these claims before any demand can be
made upon the general government to re-
fund the amount-but upon such allow
ance by the territory it will become o legal
demand against the United States which
state land and territory which has has made IA the
claim-and the territory will doubtless be
promptly reimbursed upon application
therefor.
Another recommendation of the adju.
tant general, which I earnestly indorse, is
that for the purchase, before pass beyond
the power of the territory to procure, Of
| tha t,oxxy I>ln ~aoovIo of ha covvyiooc