Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-11-03
Perea. the Taxpayer's Friend.

Perea. the Taxpayers Friend.
Ever since the year 1882, Mr.. Perea,
the Republican candidate for congress,
has attended every session of the legis-
lature, either as a member, or for the
purpose of using his great influence in
the interest of reducing public expense,
limiting taxation and seeing that the
taxes collected were properly applied.
In 1899, While in the legislative coun-
| ell, he introduced, and against the most
violent opposition had passed what is
known as the Perea finance bill, under
which specific appropriations were
made for all territorial purposes, a fis-
cal year was established within which
only the appropriations made for that
year could be used, and taxes were lev
led directly to meet these appropria-
| tions. thus radically changing the old
law, which provided only for M gen
eral fund, to meet which a general tax
of 21a mills was levied, regardless of
the needs of the territory. and which
l wv ~ ySoIo lloo DSSih eNtNiiy th'oN.
quate, resulting in the issuance of an
enormous mass of warrants against the
general fund, which We're practically
| ~valueless, as no one could tell when
they would be paid, and the fortunate
one who got in first with his warrant
when there was any money in the
treasury, had it paid in full, while
other men with equally meritorious
warrants, We're compelled to wait in
definitely. That system has been con-
tinued for nearly 10 years, and has
| worked so satisfactorily that it will
probably never be changed, resulting
in an enormous saving to the terri
tory, as we'll as giving to the creditor of
the territory a warrant only when
there is money in the treasury to pay
it, so that today, a territorial warrant
is as good as a United States draft.
In addition to this measure Mr.. Perea
opposition of nearly all the county Off
GERS in the territory, a bill fixing the
fees and salaries of territorial and
county officers, which reduced the eX-
penses to tax payers and ~litigants
nearly one-half. He voted for and was
an earnest advocate of our present
school law, which has been in success
full operation, withahardly any changes,
since 1891.
During the session of the 31st legis-
lative assembly, in 1895, which legis-
lature had a very large majority of
Democrats and ~so-called Unionists, the
house of representatives employed, in
addition to the subordinate officers pro-
vided for by the act of congress, 81 en-
ployes, at an expense ranging from SO
to So per day; this for "a members; the
council consisting of ~ members, also
employed 80 additional employees, and
in addition to all this, four sweep
ers" were employed, and an appropria-
ton was made to pay these employees
amounting to $4,000, which was or
dered to be placed to the credit Of the
speaker of the house of representatives
and of the president of the council, to
be by them disbursed in the payment
of these employees. This money was
then on hand in the treasury, having
been collected for the purpose of de-
fraying the legitimate expenses of the
territory, interest on it's debt, salaries,
the maintenance of schools and other
purposes for which levies had Deer
,,oln opl nrr,pr;ot,N~ hoI NJ, Do
rea in the council, protested most Wig
orously against this wholesale robbery
of the territory for the benefit of the
hangers-on, known as employees, but
injunction to restrain the payment of
these outrageous claims, and to the
credit of Judge Laughlin be it said, he
granted the injunction, but Immediate
gether in special session.; the plumber
ers of the territory appealed from the
decision of Judge Laughlin n the
supreme court through it's chief JUS
tice, rendering an elaborate opinion,
reversed the decision of Judge Laugh
lin, and compelled the auditor and
treasurer to pay this tribute levied up
on the taxpayers by the gang known
as "employes."
This action on the part of Mr.. Perea,
not only required great courage, (for,
at that time it was notorious that the
employees We're running the legislature,
and had more influence than members)
but it also required an expenditure of
time and money, which few men in the
territory would care to undertake.
But in this, as in all his other public
acts, Mr.. Perea acted fearlessly and in
the interest of the people and the tax
payers.
This is his record in the past, and in
the broader field which he will have
in congress-, the same qualities will
characterize him as in the legislature
of New Mexico, and as a private citi-
zen. He has no "entangling alliances
with any man or set of men, which will
prevent his doing exactly what he be-
lieves to be right, and passed exper-
fence has shown that he knows what is |
right and for the best interest of the
people.