Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-03-31

The passage by the Santa Fe city coun-
salary list of the city officers up to total
Of nearly So, 200 for the coming year is a
most reckless piece OF extravaganza for
which the Democratic party alone is
responsible. That ordinance was con-
ceived by click Of curb-stone politicians
very closely associated with the leaders
of the late unlamented Doodle admins
tration OF Santa Fe county; it was drafted
by Democratic attorney and it was
adopted by a Democratic majority, on
motion and after the second Of Democratic
aldermen.
As salary grab, pure and simple, it is
an outrage, but such action is far more
reprehensble when We consider how COM
pletely it breaks faith with large and
worthy class of citizens who were origi-
nally urged to 20 in and support the project
of incorporation. The people were en-
phatlcally promised that the city govern
ment should be conducted upon the most
stringent lines of economy consistent
with good government. 1t was pointed
out time and again and agreed to by the
leaders in the movement, regardless of
party affiliations, that good and true men
should be selected for the position Of
mayor and aldermen who would serve
without compensation till the new city
was brought to a financial basis that
would justify the payment Of reasonable
salaries. 1t was thought that two years,
at least, would be required, two years of
earnest, united work, eschewing politics
entirely, before the city could be expected
to pay anything like fair salaries. 1t was
under these conditions that the New
MEXICAN and very large constituency
undertook to aid in bringing about the
incorporation of Santa Fe as a city.
Now what do We find? Simply this,
the will of the people completely over
turned by click of partisan Democrats
who have succeeded, by questionable
methods, and breaking faith more than
once, in well nigh swapping the budding
city at the very outset. For shame!
Taking the past year 3 record,as basis, is
there on intelligent citizen hereabouts
who considers it just that the tax payers
should be tiiched for $46 every night
this city council meets? Has their
success in the past been such as to en-
title them to one-fourth of this sum?
Even now city taxes are begrudgingy
paid because of the scandalous waste of
county taxes under the management of
the same gang that are now striving to
tighten their grip upon the city.
And what is the meaning OF this salary
grab as regards the prosperity OF Santa
Fe for the coming year? 1t simply means
that the salary list alone will eat up every
cent collectable from taxes, leaving abso-
lutely nothing for the development and
improvement OF the city. On an assessed
valuation of $1,500,000 of property
the levy of nils will yield about $l2.-
900. During the year just closing only 50
per cent or about IS, 900 OF this tax could
be collected. 1t is fair to presume that
collections for the coming year will not
exceed this sum. We have, therefore
$4,000 to draw from and the salary list
amounts to 1880. This covers the first
years record Of city incorporation under
Democratic administrati9n-and it has
been Democratic in the strongest modern
sense of the term
The Republicans will place ticket in
the field to-day which will command res
pect, and we can promise those who
rally to it's support on Tuesday next that
no such scandalous proceeding as this
above referred to will occur to injnre San
ia Fe should it he victorious.
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