Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-03-26
WORLDS FAIR FINANCES.
An Open Letter to the Citizens of New
Mexico-Faots and Figures
Worthy Of Careful
Consideration.

Gentlemen of New Mexico:
ask your careful consideration of the
following:
"To whom it NAV concern:
"rhe territorial legislature undertook to
appropriate 200 for the Worlds fair
$4,000 to be paid in 1891, $40 900 in 1892,
and $4,000 in 1893. No funds were pro-
vided to make the $40, 900 payment in
1891 and this amount can not be paid un.
less the next legislature provides the
money. The $4,000 payment of 1892
will, | estimate, give. e..........$ 5000
The 50 900, 1898 payment. ....... 1000
Total amount cash sh........... .$l2, 900
"For the remaining $13 900 of this $25,
900 appropriation, according to my best
judgment, there will have to be funds pro-
vided by legislation.
"R. j. PALEN,
Territorial Treasurer"
The following is the substance of my
letter to Hon. w. I. Thornton, referring
to the above statement.
'Not wishing in any way to antagonize
or prejudice the policy Of your board, l
still desire to publish the above statement
with few explanations, in order to JUS
THY the efforts being made in all the coun-
ties by the ladies of my committees to
raise funds sufficient to prosecute the
work as it is laid out In my department"
To this | received the following reply.
81 am not surprised at the contents OF
Major Palen's letter, as knew that under
his construction of the law, no funds
were provided to make the $40 900 pay
ment in '91, and that the most we could
expect under the law was about $l2 900.
For this reason | have insisted upon an
economical administration OF our funds.
Up to date about $1,000 has been ex.
pended ard $4,000 appropriated for the
construction of the combined territorial
building at Chicago. This leaves little
less than $4,000 of available funds with
which to collect and trasport our exhibit
to Chicago, arrange and care for it there
and return it to New Mexico. This is a
mere pittance, entirely inadequate, and
did | not believe that substantial aid
could be obtained from the counties and
by private subscription, should at once
resign my position. I am entirely in
sympathy with you in your efforts in the
various counties to raise funds to prose-
cute the women's work. I.should strongly
advocate it with reference to the other
departments. If we do not realize more
than Major Palen estimates, it would be
impossible to give more than $500 piece
to Mrs. Albright and yourself. Anything
that | can do to aud either of you to raise
the necessary means to prosecute your
work, l will gladly do. do not see how
the idea could have gone abroad that the
lady managers receive any compensation
for their services from the territory. The
law expressly prohibits it and we can not
even pay your travelling expenses and |
believe that the national government only
pays your expenses while in Chicago, or
going to and fro"
The above statements, coming as they do
from such men as Msjo- Palen, territorial
treasurer, and one of the acknowledged
fnanciers of our territory, and President
Thornton OF the Worlds fair board, care
iul, shrewd, and far-seeing, should, it
would seem to me, be enough without my
corroborative efforts. But as there are
some stumbling blocks, that, strive to
explain or remove as We may, are con-