Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1898-02-16


 If possible, on a lower plane than the credit of the territory. Scarcely had he assumed the duties of his office when demand was made upon him to enforce a contract made by his predecessor for the working of the eonYicts at the prison. This con- tract had been declared to be of binding force by the supreme court of the territory, and the appeal to the supreme court of the United States had been made in so bungling a manner that there was little doubt but that the case would be set aside as soon as reached by that tribunal. Governor McCord at once set him. self to try to secure certain modii- cations of the contract. which he succeeded in doing and which made the contract, in the opinion of all unprejudiced minds, a fair one, the enforcement of which would re- dound to the credit of the territory.
 For the last three months the prisoners have been earning sbou. S70 per day by working on the canal payable in water rights. It is be- lieved these water rights will be worth par, but whether they are or not they will be worth something, and as it costs the territory DO more to work the prisoners than it does to maintain them in idleness, and as the result of their labor will result in building a large canal that will bring under cultivation many thousands of acres of the finest lands in the territory, the result will be beneficial to the territory whether the water rights are valuable or not. As a result of this labor being per formed by the prisoners a million dollars worth of taxable property will at least be added to the tax rolls.
 When Governor McCord assumed control of affairs he found S20. .393 of unpaid debts that had been con tracted by his predecessor that ought to have been paid. He found the public institutions run down to the lowest ebb and he found territo- rial warrants selling at S5 cents on the dollar and the market for them very poor.
 He found an issue of S3O0OOO of territorial bonds on the market and hawked about in every brokers shop from St. Louis to Chicago and New York and even in London with no buyers. Governor Franklin made trip to New York at the expense of the territory to sell the bonds, but did not sell them. Secretary Bruce made a trip to New York to sell the bonds, but did not sell them. Treas urer Cole made trip to New York at the expense of the territory to sell the bonds, but did not sell them. Finally the bonds were sent to Lon don and returned unsold at an ex- pense of over $1, 800 to the territory. In this attempt to sell the bonds s, ,463 was expended.
 Soon after Governor McCord came in an offer was made to the loan commission to take this very issue of bonds at par and accrued interest by responsible parties and the bonis would have been sold had it not been for certain vexatious law suits instituted by parties who desired to ruin the credit of the territory by repudiating a part of its debts or the debts of certain counties which would have the same result.
 The supreme court of the terri tory has now decided that this very issue of the bonds is valid and the bonds are substantially sold and the transfer will soon be made.
 The expenses for running the ter ritorial government for the last six months, notwithstanding the S20, ,393 of old debts that came over from the Franklin administration, and notwithstanding the dilapidsted condition of the public institutions, was several thousand dollars less than the prior six months This is the result of economical business and honest methods inaugurated by Governor McCord.
 Now, aside from bringing ec onomy and business methods to bear in the management of the public affairs, Governor MeCord has shown deep interest in the public welfare gene . ally. He has encouraged, and even demanded prompt and efficient ser vice in all offices and from all off eers of the territory. He has ap pointed worthy, honest and capable 1 men to all positions under him. He 9wG .N .ll k.,N matters of public interest and especially to the cause of education, of which he has shown himself to be | a stauuch friend. So far as is known l he has not performed a single public | act that will rot stand the closest scrutiny, and no man or newspaper ! has yet even tried to point out one. l Look at his public addresses, begin ! ming with his inaugural speech and l ending with his address at the nor nal school on the evening of the 4th instant. Every one is wise, sound. able, patriotic and in the public ] interest. Any impartial man who 1 will read those speeches will not only admit that Governor McCord l is an able and resourceful man, but l that he Is a man of breadth and 1 depth, one whO-ssyIng nothing of his polities-is an honor and credit ] to the territory.
 What has he done politicallyl 1 When he assumed the duties of bis | office he not only found that the :. long and bitter fight over the gov ernorship had engendered many sores and scars, but he found an army of hungry applicants for places and not one place at his disposal 1 where there were twenty applicants. So adroitly and ably did he manage the affairs that today he is.not only the recognized leader of his party, but nearly every influential republi: can in the territory is in line or ready to get in line to work for the paTty's success. Today the republi- can party is stronger in the territory than ever before.
 One thing which is very notice able and greatly to the credit of Governor MeCord is the fact that there is not a man in office in the territorr. federal or territorial, who is tot a credit to the territory and the appointing power. That IS something that can rarely be said