The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-02-12

The first veto message by Cover
To the Hon. R. L. Baca, Speaker,
and the Members of the House of
Representatives of the T~hirty-Seve1th
Legislative Assembly, of the Terri
tory of New Mexico, Santa Fe N.
NJ.
Gentlemen:I have the honor to
most respectfully return herewith
without my approval house joint reso-
luton No 4, providing for the pay
ment of employees and contingent ex-
penses of the legislature. The reso-
luton provides for the appropriation
of 1882 to pay salaries of interpre-
ters, tra1slators and contingent p
ses of the house of representatives.
and 1886 to pay the salaries of inter
prefers, translators n contingent ex
penses of the council. 1t further pro-
vides that upon presentation of the
resolution itself to the auditor of the
territory, the auditor shall draw his
warrant against the territorial treas
urer in favor of the speaker of the
house of representatives n the presi
dent of the council for the said sum;
and that the treasurer is ordered to
pay the same on the presentation OF
said warrant. 1t is further provided
that said sums shall after the passage
of the resolution be paid out as may
be directed by the thirty-seventh leg
~islative assembly. For the first time
in many years the legislature of New
Mexico is able to legally appropriate
money from the terriatorial treasury
to pay for extra employees and contin-
gent expenses. The act of congress
of Tunn 10 1879 after setting forth
what should be the subordinate Off
GERS of eacn branch of the territorial
legislature and the pay they should
receive, provided that mo greater nu-
mber of officers or charges per diem
should be paid or allowed by the
United States to any territory.
An act passed on May %, 1896, ap-
plicable alone to New Mexico, follows
That no other officer of either house
of said legislature shall be elected or
appointed, or paid out of any money
appropriated by the congress of the
United States except a translator and
an interpreter" 1t mas been here
fore, clearly and Enthusiastically illegal
for the territory to appropriate or ex-
pend any money for salaries of sub
ordinate officers for contingent eX-
penses. When it has been done, it
has been done contrary to law. All
hat the territory was entitled to for
carrying on the legislature was $24,-
$50 appropriated by the federal gov
eminent, which sum has been distri-
buted as follows: Salaries, subordi-
nate officers $4,000: salaries of mem
bers. $3.50; mileage of members, 81
500, stationery, rent, ETC., $4,000; prin
ting, $3.50; salaries. expenses etc.
of the secretary's office, $500. Total
$24.S5O.
The amount provided by the Fed
eral government mas been clearly in
adequate. Realizing this to be a fact
| took steps to find a remedy and in
annual report to the secretary of the
Interior represented to him that the
New Mexico legislature is confronted
with that anomalous condition of af-
business with the aid of eight en-
ployes in each branch, four of whom
are not active workers or supply a
number sufficient to meet the actual
exigencies by evasion of the federal
statutes. L pointed out that those sta
tutes had been evaded, that a number
of employees not wholly sufficient but
glaringly over-sufficient. had been sup
piled in the past by such evasion and
il that the embarrassing con-
dition might be ended l strongly rec
commended that a bill be passed by
congress appropriating $4,000 for ad
ditional employees Inc contingent ex-
penses. fully setting forth the situa-
ton and stating that the estimate
had been arrived at after consultation