Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-04-21
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county commissioners. Among other
transactions appears an account Of the
determination OF the commissioners 10
appeal what Is known as the Santa Fe
tax suits 70 the supreme court Of the
United States. The statement is
made that there are several thousand
dollars that will be paid into the coun-
~ treasury providing this case is won
against the Santa Fe, and the people
urging the appeal think there is a good
show OF winning. The cost TO the
county will be some eight hundred
dollars, II the ease is lost, and an ever
thousand dollars more. II the case is
won, and the county RECEIVERS the
money. This all looks very nice for
the county to come into some money.
The LIBERAL asked Commissioner
Ownby about the matter and be un.
derstood that all this moneyswould go
into the general fund. On further
questioning he did not remember that
anyone had actually said it would go
into that fund, but he had received
that impression. District Attorney
Turner had informed the board that
this was the proper procedure TO OBJ
tain the money. Ex.Commissioner
Murray told them be had been work
ing on the matter for some time, and
IL had just got into shape, and so the
board thought it the proper thing to
do, and hired Attorney Harllee,
who had given the matter much study,
and was familiar with the case, to
make the appeal. The history Of these
cases is interesting. Some years ago
the legislature passed what was known
as the Bateman law. This provided
for many things regarding county gov
eminent, and among other things 1t
provided that no county could run In
debt. When a tax levy was made to
pay the expenses Of a year the COM
missioners we're to make the money
raised by that tax levy pay the ex-
penses Of the year. When 1t came
to settling up the accounts at
the end Of the year, II the commits.
sioners found that the bills amounted
TO more than the money or hand they
were to divide the money pro ratio
among the creditors OF the county, and
this payment was to settle the bills,
no matter II they were not paid In full.
The legislature passed this bill TO curb
the county commissioners, and pre-
vent them from running the counties
10 debt. After this became a law,
bills were run as usual. When there
was no money 10 pay the bills the
creditors sued the county, secured a
judgment, and then the commissioners
made a levy TO pay the judgment.
In this way they got around the Bate.
man law, and the taxpayers had no
relief; the commissioners could spend
all the money they wanted to. When
1t came to paying the taxes on this
judgment levy the Santa Fe road re-
fused to pay. The county sued, the case
was taken to the supreme court Of the
territory, and again the road won. IL
looked as though the county had done
enough to reimburse creditors, who,
under the Bateman law, had nothing
coming TO them, and the decision OF
the supreme court OF the territory
ought 70 be good enough law for the
citizens and the county officials. How
ever, the people who have an interest
In this Judgment levy, wanted the
money, and so they have got the COM
missioners to appeal the case to the
United States supreme court, aud had
TO mlslead the commissioners to do IL.
Some people may think II queer that
some OF the democratic oflceholders,
or other democrats In Silver City did
not give the democratic commissioners
a tip regarding the matter, and let
them know that II any Of this money
was secured from the Santa Fe road
that every cent Of It would go TO pay
Judgment creditors, aud not a cent
would 60 into the general fund OF the
county, but those better acquainted
know that when IL ZONES 20 Drizlng
any money out OF the Santa Fe road.
OF the county, there are no party dlvis-
ions Ia Silver City. They all belong
to the party OF graft. The LIBERAL
does not know whether this work ac-
complished at the last meeting OF the
board can be undone, but IL has faith
enough 10 Commissioners Ownby and
Link 20 believe they will undo IL II
possible, when they learn how they
were worked. As for Commissioner
CuFeton, nothing a be expected OF a
mar who will live In one district and
pretend TO represent the people OF
another district.