Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1907-07-18
HAGERMAN OUGHT TO
HAVE SAVED
MONEY
Ex-Governor Prince Says Gov.
ernOr'S Contingent Expense
Fund is Too Large
for Needs.
RECEPTIONS AND SOCIAL
STUNTS NOT INCLUDED
Can Not be Considered d Part OF
Official DutieS---FOrmer Exec
utive Says $1,000 Sufficient
When Expenses We're
Greater Than Now.

Ex-Governor l.. b. Prince spent a
few hours in the city Tuesday en-
route to Santa Fe from the Cebolleta
land grant.
In discussing the contingent ex-
pense fund of the governors office,
the former executive gave some in
tom in vogue to his knowledge, in
disbursing this fund: The ex-govern-
or said:
Not For Private Purposes.
"As l always understood it, the
matter is perfectly simple and the
practice uniform all over the country
both among United States and state
officers. Nearly every office has a
contingent fund to cover the multi
provided for. 1t is of course an Of
fetal fund provided by the public,
for official use; and l never heard
until lately of a dollar being used
for any private or political purpose.
He Had $1,000 Fund.
When l was governor, there was a
United States appropriation of $500
for contingent expenses of the ter
ritory," and a similar appropriation
by the territory of $500. Any proper
official expense could be paid from
either and a receipted bill filled as
voucher for the expenditure. What
ever amount was not used, of course
stayed in the treasury. The expenses
to be met then were a good deal
more than they are now, for as the
capitol was burned, the governor had
to pay for fuel, lights. water, janitor
service, etc. at the offices in the Pal
ace, which are now provided for him.
Then again, at that time the only ap-
preparation for clerical assistance or
.ate IL.
interpreter and translator. That was
not quite sufficient to pay for a
stenographer, and SO the difference
mad to come out of the contingent
fund.
Now there is a liberal salary for
private secretary"
Principal Expenses.
What were the principal items of
expense ?" he was asked.
Stationery, postage, kilograms and
the clerical assistance, fuel, lights,
janitor service, etc. At that time the
territorial institutions at Albuquerque
Socorro, Las Vegas, etc, We're being
built and the governor met regularly
with the respective boards. The ac-
tual expense of these journeys came
out of the contingent fund. The gov
erhor's office had a good deal more
business then than since, for every
tting that now goes to the various
departments, commissions and boards
then went to the governor for atten-
ton"
Fund Was Sufficient.
well, was the contingent fund
then sufficient for the office ex-
penses?"
Yes, it covered everything neces-
sary. There is only one new expense,
] think, that has been added since,
and that is the telephone; outside of
that there is no increase that l know
Of"
No Confusion as TO Expenses.
WAS there any confusion between
official expenses and personal ones
in those days?"
epcd nsySr IS ao hsHTa pa S ann ADMIT the Of dSE mSa6
confusion. | am quite sure that
none of the old governors that l
knew, from Lew. Wallace to Govern
or Thornton had any trouble in dis
tinguishing between the expenses of
their office and personal outlay"
Receptions Personal Matter.
How about receptions and enter
tainments?"
why, of course, they are personal
matters. They are optional with the
as he pleases. The territory has no
more to do with them than with the
entertainments of any one else. SO
tar as ! recoilect, Governor Wallace
ala not have any receptions; Govern
or Sheldon and Governor Ross had
them for the legislatures; in my time
we had public receptions, open to
everybody, every month, besides the
large ones to the legislature, ETC..
and this was continued by Governor
Thornton. | think there have been
no public ones since, though quite a
number by invitation. OF course,
they cost something, but so does
everything else that a person does and
every one who takes the office knows
that there are certain expenses re-
quired by custom"
Present Fund Too Large.
what do you think of the amount
of the present contingent fund of
$3,O0O?"
Il can't imagine what it is needed
for, as the United States now allows
thousand dollars. and there is an
appropriation of $500 for "A private
secretary and $3.50 for a messenger:
and fuel, light, etc, are all furnished
at the capitol; but it is right to have
a contingent fund sufficiently liberal
TO cover all necessary official eX-
penses that may arise. Only the act
ual amount can be drawn for which
proper receipts are shown; so there
is no loss as the balance remains in
the treasury. At least that is the
way ii should be. Even the secre-
tary Of the interior cannot draw for
a paper of pins without a proper
voucher The only trouble about
such an excessive amount is that il
may lead to extravaganza"