Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-02-04
DURANGO WEEKLY HERALD
COUNTY AFFAIRS.

especially noticeable al this time com.
pared with that of a few ears ago.
Two years ago we had Tom Mason ~
chairman OF the board. and his admin
istration can he pointed to wttn prize.
Stuckman. who at heart do ;ir Is to be
on the right side, worked with HIM,
and Bradley was thus unable 10 do
any harm. Then, before StuckSaan,
we had Thomas Cash. and the ccun'y
VIII be long time clecting another
man who win watch affairs closer and
work harder Tor the county ihnn Nj.
Cash. Ana before him we had that
honest old pilgrim. Evans G. narui,ion.
Covering the period Hampton. Cash
and Mason were In control OF county
affairs some effort was made To rep
resent the interests OF the people and
the taxpayers. There were no ia
voritcs In those days. The commits
sioners' Office was not political ma
chine for the punishment OF non-sup.
portcrs or rewardiDg friei,is at he
expense OF the county. When Mr..
Hampton went Into Office the ahuirs
of the county were Ia n taugle. sure
enough and he labored earnestly 10
get the finances into shape lie had
assistance. but MIR. Hampton was the
real power To him belongs the
credit Of starting tho county towards
Easy Street" Mr. Casb took up
the work where he left on and proved
worthy successor, and FOR two years
he labored jointly with Thorn
NJ Mason for the best Interests
of the county. They spent their
time saving the county expense ani
getting the finances into shape for
lowering OF taxes. and this work con
tlBucd during Mr.. Mason's last gar
In once. being. ag before stated. as,
sisted by Mr., Stuckman. who really
desires 10 be In the right Bradley
was elected In the fall OF ~ To sue
cccd u 1, Kicker. Being IN the mi
noiity. he made no attempt TO dictate
n policy or to run the county on n ma
chine basis, the sumo as he hid as n
member of the council, but his aY
ariclouaDcss was shown when he re-
fused to resign M member OF tne
city council. Notwithstanding the two
positions conHictcd, and the records
win show that he refused 90 vote as
commissioner and also rs nldcraaD
when questions of difference zane up
between city aud county. lie desired
however. to retain 4 hold on both city
and county In the first place. tbote
was the salary OF both Offices. which
he oovcted-and the influence he
might he able to yield. So great MAS
this irsirc that Mr.. Bradley demanded
and ~es nominated for alderman the
following spring after his election nH
commissioner. but. thanks 10 tie good
judgment OF the North Side voters,
he was defeated In 1899 Nick
Cooke was elected aud he had hardly
taken once when Mr. Bradl " hcgan
To act like one In authority lie
was elected chairman, and al once
was "ITf--thc real thing. as IL
were. In one short year undec his
regime the county Is In almost ns had
shape MS II WAS seven or eight ycars
ago. aud the only thing that prevents
county scrip being hooked nbout on
the streets M 80 much On the 1ollar
iH by the commissioners aud the tIcns-
nrer anticipating this years taxes Tor
last years bills. When Bradley be-
came High Mucky Muck, by the grace
of Nick Cooke. Sam Wall turned over
TO Treasurer Balster fat t,easury
balance--s something like 5000 with
about all bills paid, At the end of
the year the above big surplus was re-
duccd to fow paitry thousands, and
In addition. a considerable portion of
this years taxes anticipated, ana IN
addition. counting small Increase IN
valuation, we have fully n J, per ce'
raise In taxes And this is not all
The Herald makes the assertion that
the increase Will continne. even great
cr. the coming year, At the rate the
present board Is starting out. n Wa
rant basis Is one OF the furo things
or further raise In taxes.
Thus are the people confronted
with problem equal to tho one re
Gently played at PelSl1. Attempts
have been made u excuse u certain
percentage OF the raise, but NJ valid
reason has been advanced. The past
year should have been an economical
one There were no Niolcpt storms
damaging roads OF DritEes. 1t should
have cost far lcas than usual in this
direction. There was little sick
mesa and every man, woman ard
child who wanted work could Chtain
the same and the poor expense should
have been less and II was double.
Ia most eycip lNo'. 10 of county M
fairs the expense increased. and to-
day the county instead of being run
on n business basis, seems TO he con
sidered only an organization for deal.
ing out favors. II is not fnvoritism in
one thing, but about evcrythinS
These are facts that cannot be- gotten
around. II is indeed ha,d PROPOSE
tion at the same time there seems TO
be no relief. unless the taxpayers Or
ganire for selfprotection. Many have
dropped in to tell us this should oe
done The proposition is rp to thera.
WIN they act or are they going TO