Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-06-11
FACTS AND
FIGURES
To Increase Efficiency and Extend
Scope of Important Territorial
Institutions Higher Taxes Became
Necessary.

The administration of Governor NJ
A. Otero has been much criticised by
Democrats, disgruntled Republicans
and fellows that are neither but who
have an ache or pain, as to increase in
territorial tax rates.
This paper recently published an ar
ticle, reviewing and comparing the
financial record made during the
past seven years of the administration
of Governor Otero with that of the
preceding twelve years OF two Demo
cratic and one Republican adminstra-
tion. This comparison with respect to-
the management of the legitimate
financial affairs of the Territory stamp
ed the Otero administration as busi-
ness-like, safe and conservative from
beginning to end, and also explained
in clear and concise manner. why it
became necessary, in order to restore
and preserve the credit OF the Terri
tory, to increase tax rates to meet the
debts, principal and interest. saddled
on the people by years of Democratic
mismanagement and incompetency.
That article, however did not ex-
plain all the increased taxation, which
it has been charged has been steadily
growing. Anyone familiar with the af-
fairs of the Territory ten or even eight
years ago, knows full well that educa-
tional institutions were languishing;
charitable institutions were such prac-
tically in name only; territorial insti-
tutions were run down at the heel,
and all were in a chronic condition of
lack Of funds for regular maintenance.
From examination of the various
finance bills passed by the different
prior to the administration
of OterO it can be readily seen that
no appropriations were made for
these institutions except Of the most
meager kind, and a further examina-
ton of territorial treasurers' reports |
will prove that after those appropria-
tions, such as they were, were made. |
they were never paid except in part
The only liberal appropriations made |
since 1892 were for current expenses |
and those were insufficient as shown !
in deficiencies reported by territorial
treasurers. and the repeated issuing |
Of expense and deficiency bonds.
All this has been changed under the
Otero administration The territorial
Institutions are in a flourishing condi-
-ion educational institutions rank
with institutions of similar character
in the older states and the charitable
Institutions are a credit to the Terri
.ory. In order to attain this desired
result money had to be expended and
he only revenue that can be derived
s from taxation. The wilful misrep-
on this subject make it
necessary to place before the tax pay
% what has been accomplished in the
way of extending financial aid to these
Institutions.
During the past three years twelve
I'd from the territorial treasurer over
one-half million of dollars, all derived
lirect from taxation, for their main
.enance, while twelve counties of the
Territory have been paying their tax
IS to help raise this money and have
not had one dollar Of it disbursed
within their boundaries. Here are the
figures, which are based on direct pay
ments made by the territorial treas
lrer:
Bernalillo County.
Sisters Hospital 5 2,778.67
University ofNew
Mexico = -. 71,755.49 S 74,534.16