Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-01-15
RAYNOLDS' ANSWER
TO CHARGES MADE
Secretary Makes an
Unequivocal and
Strong Denial
OF RODEYs EXAMINATIONS
Shows Their Hollowness and
Untruth By Giving Con-
vincing Facts.

vincing Facts.
Saturday evening, too late to be pub
lished in that evenings issue Of the
New Mexican, special from Washing
ton to this paper, stated that ex-Dele-
gate B. S. Rodey had filed charges
against Territorial Secretary j. W..
Reynolds with Chairman Beveridge Of
the Senate committee on territories,
and that on account of these charges,
the nomination of Mr. Reynolds to
succeed himself as secretary of the
Territory has not been confirmed.
In substance the charges are:
Offensive partisanship; bulldozing
delegates to the convention in 1904,
which did not re-nominate ex-Delegate
Rodey as the Republican candidate for
Delegate to the 59th Congress. The
indiscriminate pardoning of criminals;s I
that through political effect and work,
Mr.. Reynolds secured large increase
in the fees of his Office and so man.
ipulated matters in the legislative as.
sembly as to have it pass measures
increasing such fees greatly; that Mr..
Reynolds, in conjunction with Cover
nor Otero, by unfair means, procured
public lands for sheep ranch in
central New Mexico on each side Of
the Arroyo Salado, eight miles wide
and many miles long.
Secretary's Answer.
To a representative Of the New Mer-
,,an, who asked what he had to say
with reference to the charges as quot
ed, Secretary Reynolds replied:
1T Is rather difficult, in fact almost
impos ibie ts>-7,,'e specific answers to
such generalities as are charged In
this dispatch. Replying, however, to
the accusations as they appear / can
state that as to offensive partizanship
and bAldozing delegates, 1t has been
my custom to attend all precinct pri-
maries for city, county and territorial
conventions, but have never been
selected as a delegate from such pri.
maries to any city or county cOnven-
tion, nor have ! ever been selected as
delegate to any territorial cOnven-
tion. l have never been inside the hall
at q territorial convention. even as a
spectator.
No Influence Used.
'Ihaye never attempted to influence
or coerce any delegate to any conven-
tion by threats or offers of reward,
political or pecuniary, directly, indi-
rectly, personally or through an in
termediary or otherwise.
"As for Manipulation Of Office to In.
crease Fees, The fees Of this office, al
lowed by act of Congress, June 10,
1878, and territorial statutes, are sub.
stantially the same today as they were
twenty years ago, except that In 1897
certain incorporation fees, Heretofore
retained by the secretary were made
returnable to the territorial treasury.
Returns Increased.
During the four years Of my in
|cumbency my returns to the territorial
treasurer have averaged about $4,000
per annum, against an average of less
than $4,000 per annum by my prede-
cessor, and such efforts as have
made have been confined to attempts
10 increase the territorial receipts.
"With Reference to the Charge Of Par.
doning Notorious Criminals for Politi.
cal Effect While Acting Governor,
there is no board of pardons in New
Mexico, hence, the general rule was
established by Governor Otero In 1897
that applications for executive elem
ency must be accompanied by favor
able requests from the trial Judge and
the prosecuting attorney, or the rec.
ommendation Of the board Of peniten-
tiary commissioners, and the superin-
tendent of the penitentiary, and 1t is
only in very unusual circumstances
that any deviation is made from this
rule.
Thanksgiving pardon.
During my incumbency ! have act
ed fayorably upon twenty-seven cases
and those include but six pardons, five
being for minor offenses and one for
a high crime-murder.
This one case was a Thanksgiving
pardon, granted November &c, 1902
and the application was endorsed by
the trial Judge, the attorney who pros
ecuted the case, by the justice then
presiding and the prosecuting attor
|ney, and by the board OF penitentiary
commissioners as we'll as numerous
citizens.
In all other cases the action covered
either a Communication of sentence or 8
reprieve subject to good behavior
while at large. This latter form o1
action was first instituted in New
Mexico by me in 1902 and since tina,
| time all my extensions Of executive
clemency In serious cases have beer