Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-09-30
49,
WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPT. 30.
THE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW.

nj y HOU KNOW.
nThe law under which the travelling
territorial auditor, Charles Y. SAT
ford. " operating, provides speclical.
~ that he shall inquire into and look
after collections and remittances 81
territorial taxes. In order To do this
Il Is necessary for him to take into
consideration the collection by county
t~reaxurers Of all monies received, in
order that he may ascertain In the
proper proportion OF territorial tax.
1t IL also his duty 10 report to the
proper county officers the financial
condition Or the counties.
with reference TO tn ematters in
San Miguel county, II Is understood
that Mr.. Stafford found the books OF
accounts In the Office Of the county
treasurer kept In an up.todate man.
rer; that the amount Of money collect.
ed on behalf Of the territory had been
properly accounted for, but that In the
caring for and handling OF county
funds, In Mr.. Safford's opinion, un-
businessliks methods were Ia force.
"As required BY the act creating the
once. the condition or the county
finances were laid before the county
commissioners and district attorney
Of San Miguel county, and II was the
duty Of these officials, II they saw 1t
was expedient, 10 call the county
treasurer 10 account, and correct and
change the methods Of caring for
funds. which Mr.. Stafford held were
eayed for IN an unbusinesslikc a
nss.
UT would certainly BIO unwise for the
travelling auditor on every occasion
whom an irreguiariy In the handling
OF the county funds came 10 his notice,
70 rush into print. whom he has not the
yowor ~ authority to correct such
sNass a. .u9tsr being entirely In the
hands-qt stde local county oticers.
'Wlth reference to the Eddy county
settlsment u stands In tho same posi-
ton - uaattcrs do In San Miguel coun.
~ The report Of the condition Of
stfairs having been made to Tho proper
oficess. snded Me responsibility Of
the travelling auditor. and the facts
that should have been made public,
should have been forthcoming from
the local county oficers, In whose
hands the responsibility OF caring for
and distributing county funds Is
placed. IA
As The result Of the work done by
the travelling auditor, since the ONCE
ri created. the territorial funds are
10000 ahead, ~ compared with last
year, and he has a dozen more &C
counts that win BE- settled az soon AZ
possible, which will increase the funds
in the treasury by many more thous-
ands Of dollars"
Tho above article. from the New
Mexican, is doubtless, ia response to
m editorial in The Optic taking ex-
ccption to . published statement Of
Territorial Auditor Safford,s. which,
without making any specific charges,
said In general terms that he found
the business affairs OF several coun
ties woefilly mismsnaged and that IL
certain county ofictais were mot Grim.
inai in their actions, they were at
least losing money for the people.
The Optic objected TO such state
ments, couched IN general terms. be.
cause 10 a certain extent, every inno.I
cent and competent official In the Ter.
ritory was an object OF suspicion. The
readiness OF men 10 PROFOUND the
question. us II thou" when indefinite
accusation Is made. has not grown less
In nineteen hundred years.
Furthermore. The Optic objected 10
indefinite statements as 10 the nature
OF Irregularities mentioned. when In
this county and half the counties Of the
territory. the visit OF the territorial
auditor was followed by street corner
gossip charging all sorts OF crimes
against county oficials.
II the reports Of the auditor are not
10 be received BY the people through
the press. they ought 20 be. The peo.
pie pay the auditors salary, the PEG