Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-07-02

| The following extracts contain tn
pith of an article which appeared in {
recent issue of the AlamOgOrdO Jour
nal a Democratic paper published il
a country heretofore considered Demo
catic but which now shows symptoms
of giving a large Republican vote:
"The taxpayers are paying into thu
territorial treasury the sum of $439,
$50 per annum. Suppose we credit tht
administration with $4,000 per annun
paid on reduction of debts what theI
becomes of $389,S90 remaining? We
dare the present administration tt
make statement of warrants PAID
and on what account. Give us state
ment of cash paid into the treasury by
each county, cash paid out, to whom
and for what. A mere statement that
a certain bond issue was to pay for a
deficit incurred by Governor Thornton
will not do. Let us know what war.
rants were paid with the funds receiv-
ed from the sale of bonds and also give
date and for what service those war
rants were issued. We will not take
any mans word for this. Come with
the facts and figures, gentlemen, or
else admit that the facts and figures
arc against YOU"
Really, now, this is amusing. The
New Mexican has been willing to wag-
er that some Democratic editor would
consider himself sufficiently well post.
ed on financial statistics to make an
attempt at answering or even refuting
the articles which have given to the
public facts regarding the financial ad-
of Governor Otero, but it
did not expect to meet with anything
quite so ingenious and guileless as
the above. Can it be possible that the
editor of that paper is such recent
arrival that he had not heard of def
ciencies left by Governor Thornton
and his predecessors until the New
Mexican enlightened him, or is he
merely trying to run bluff upon the
other recent arrivals in his section of
the Territory? lin any event this pa
per would suggest that before attempt
ing to educate the public further he
procure and study the official reports
published biennially by the territorial
treasurer and auditor and thus avoid
another display of ignorance regard
ing the financial affairs of the Terri
tory that would make a school boy
blush.
The reports in question contain de-
tailed statements showing receipts
from all sources, amounts expended
under the various funds, and, strange
as it may seem to anyone familiar
with the earlier financial history of
the Territory, the balances on hand.
To begin with it must be borne in
mind that Governor Otero took up the
reins of administration in June, 1897,
and worked for nearly two years under
revenue legislation passed by the
Thornton Democratic regime and with
Democrats holding the important Off
ces of treasurer and auditor. Hence,
the financial end of his administration
was to all intents and purposes Demo-
cratic until early in 1899, and as
Otero has paid $352,900 Of debts since
that time the average is more than
s75, 200 per annum instead Of the $780,
700 per annum, which the Journal is
willing to admit for the sake Of argu-
ment. The Republican legislature of
1899 had the courage to grapple
with the outrageous financial condi
lion which had been inherited from
Democratic incompetence, and if the
Journal really desires full information
On this particular subject it might
study H. B. 142, of the Thirty-third
Legislative Assembly printed as chap
ter SO, laws of 1899, entitled can Act
to provide for the payment of the de-
Ficiencies in the territorial appropria-
lions of The various fiscal years up to
and including the forty-ninth fiscal
year." This bill made provision for
IN issue of interest bearing certifi-
Gates of Indebtedness to persons hold
ng legal claims against the Terri
tory. A few of these claims were nine
years old, many were six years old
but the majority had been outstanding
for two or three years, and existed as
potent reminders of the Thornton ad-
The claims were listed
IN the act mentioned above and later
we're passed upon by board consist
ng OF the solicitor general, treasurer
and auditor of the Territory and pro-
Vision was made in the bill for tax
evy to redeem the certificates at the
ate of one-fifth of the total each year.
No warrants were issued under this
act, nor were the certificates sold but
Ill persons holding approved claims
them in lieu of certificates
which were listed in the usual man