Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-09-30

BiG 49, AK otlRH VIM ouht itoAf "a
regularities and malfeasance In Office,
the people are vitality interested. Not
the county commissioners. who are
themselves public officials, and who
may or may not have easons for
standing In with others In Office. Not
the district attorney, who has jurk-
diction only when the matter becomes
criminal. And the people are al like.
~ TO suffer III through negligence and
lncompefency as through criminality.
The New Mexican will say the law
81 provides, Then it Is d had law. AMI
should be changed as soon as possible.
But VIC happen to remember that In
several counties OF the territory,
statements OF the auditor that the a.
nances were In admirable condition,
that the Offices were properly and
honestly administered, were published
promptly enough. Why withhold tho
news from the people and give It only
to county commissioners who will
probably keep It themselves, when It
III bad? The law that clothes only
local officials with the power to cor.
reel evils of other local officials should
be rcmedied. III The matter be Grim
inal the placing Of The matter Iii the
hands Of court officials will doubtless
be efflcaeious. but II won't do at all
10 leave the correction OF hushlng
up Of lesser Irregularities to the coun-
Nv commissioners III nine eases out
Of Ten, nothing will be done.
Take the case III Eddy county The
sheriff was thousands Of dollars short.
The county commissioners said bad
bookkeeping was responsible and as
Don as possible hu5hed up the mat-
ter. In San Miguel county injustice
was done our officials by the reports
that went the rounds. II The auditors
report had been made public, the peo.
pie would have understood that MOTH
Ing more serious was the matter than
that In Mr.. Safford's opinion, the
manner Of caring for the county funds
WINS unbusInesslike. But the people,
having nothing authentic TO go by,
listened to unfounded reports against
various officials, and b yed matters
were much worse than taey i My are.
The Optic does not q anc Mr. SAT
ford to take any trouble % ii h into
print to explain conditions IN the
counties. but he could reasonably be
expected to DO allowed To .ascrn the
Of each county through the
press OK tho manner In which their
business Is being conducted. That's
what he's paid for. And he should be
required by the law 10 make to the
governor, who appoints him. a COM
plete report Of conditions In every
BY all means this report
be made public.
The Optic does not question the good
done by Mr.. Stafford. He has system
affixed the methods Of keeping ac-
in the counties. he has given
much valuable advice TO county Of.
the very fact OF his official OK
operates Ms a N invaluable
check upon county officers. The terri.
torial auditor Is tho most valuable
we have, next to the executive
himself. But the new law Is not yet
perfection. as its working shows. ami
should BIO modified In such a manner
hat the people can find out what the
true conditions are, and can take steps
q remedy them.
The Optic has done good service
or the officials Of San Miguel county
n securing from MI. Sanford the state
nent In the New Mexican that nothing
serious Is wrong In this county
han an unbuslnesslike name or
handling the funds. He should have
,een more specific. but nj doubt tho
commissioners will inform the
OF the county. concerning tho
OF handling and caring for
heir funds.
Johnson: II is better to live rich
han 10 die rich.