Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1900-10-19

Charles :. Thomas. las been
L In many respects the worst ad-
ministrailon which has ever dis
graced the state OF Colorado. The
stnte treasury hns been systematically
looted; a deficit OF S2J0.OJo has been
created: state institutions like the Uni
versity. tho Soldiers nnd Sailors Home
and tho State Pcnilcntlary have been
supported by borrowing money from
private citizens; n much heavier taxa
ten OF the people hns been recon-
mended: Official roitenness OF all kinds
has been officially whilewashei: muir
der and robbery have run riot while
the officers who ought TO protect the
people were doing the governors pelit-
tcal work: and convIcts have becn let
loose to work for Thomas machine In
Denver.
II may not be fair to charge all Of
these things directly and personally to
the governor OF the state: ~ will Be
seen by some Of the figures and names
given below. some OF the footing Of the
treasury has been done by other state
officials than the governor. On the
whsle. however. most Of the mnl-ad-
ministration Is directly chnrgeable to
him personally. and has been either d.
rccted or permitted by him In order to
secure for himself the political inau.
cncc which he deemed necessary
In order to get himself elected. II pos
siblc. to tho United States Senate.
Under Governor Waite. whatever
may be said OF his encouragement Of
anarchistic elements Of tho xtats aad
OF his violent methods. the state treas.
ury At least was not looted to any such
extent rs has been the case during the
last two years. The deficit At tho end
OF his term was only about $4,000.
During the term OF wai,e's successor.
Governor Mcintyre. whose ndmlHistra-
t!on was not In NIL respects a model
one. nor ono OF which Republicans are
especially proud. the financial admins
tration nj least was better than under
PopulIst aud Democratic governors,
for ut the end OF the administration
there was a surplus In the state treas
ury Of about $4,000.
Adams on Economy.
Under Governor Adams. whose ad.
ministration some people assert was
tho best Democratic or Popullst admin.
istratIon which has ever been known
In the state OF Colorado. there 1sps de-
felt n, the emil OF the term amounting
to about $4,000. In his message on
retiring from the Governors chair.
Governor Adams wrote rs follows TO
the incoming Legislature:
There Is no room for extravaganza
or doubtful expenditure. Rctrcnchmcnt
IL not pleasant. but II Is honorable. md
under existing circumstances, neces-
sary."
The fusion Legislature heard this
statement: the fusion governor read IL:
both knew perfectly well the state OF
tho public treasury; yet the Legislature
Immediately began TO pass approprin-
ton bills, for many OF which they
knew perfectly well no funds would be
available. and nearly all Of these mp
preparation bIlls. Goyeynor Thomas
signed. and when he Signcd them he
knew that they were unconstitutional
and void. He has acknowledged over
his own signature that the deficit Tor
the present biennial period will amount
TO MS much rs $4,000: rs n matter OF
fact the amount will be about 100000
and probably more than that.
As carly ms June 1899. II became evil
dent that the revenue was not going to
be equal to the expenditures already
authorized by the Legislature, ana then
the governor wrote:
.If the valuation obtained Is large
enough to satisfy me that the revenue
of 1900 will be equal to the public de-
mnnds of that year, ] shall not sum
mon the assembly; II It shall appear In
sufficient, | shall have no alternative
but to call an extra session"
No Special Session.
The valuations were sent In by the
county assessors, and 1t was Mt once
evident that the revenues would not
come anywhere near meeting the de-
mapds OF the appropriations alrehuy
made. The governor intimated That
special session of the Legislature would
he called December 18th: 1t was found
that this was fifteen days after the
constitutional limit of the terms or or.
flee of the members of the last general
assembly. 1t was uncertain, therefore,
whether the governor meant 10 call an
assembly together which had expired
by law, or to call n new Legislature
which had just been elected. Inc p,o-
tests against an extra session OF tne
Legislature which came from III p'ir's
of the state. were so strong thh' ,he
governor decided that 1t would DE IN.
polite to call the members together. !
was openly alcE'u y. -,
other fusionists that If the Legislhture
were to assemble the tinahclai conu
tion of the state would be made m,lch
worse instead of being made better.
md governor Thomas finally shared
This view, An effort was made 10 Sc
c,,ro n renssessmcnt of the property
throughout the state by the fusion state
hoard of equalization, so as to raise tne
values to n figure which would bring IN
the desired revenue. 1t was decided oy
the Supreme Court, however. that sa ,Sn
action was not within the power or the
board of equalization. and this methou
therefore failsI ~ ,, 10
All Tho otlier plans having come 10