Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-02-03
The Morning journal Bureau,

Santa Fe. n. NJ, Feb. 81
II had been hoped that when tn
present legislative assembly convened
that the long established and steadil.
growing extra-employe graft Woul'
be abolished, or at least abated. Th'
necessity for extra employees other than
those allowed and paid by the fedora
government, has been fully recognized
by every one familiar with legislative
procedure. The governor of the terri
tory recognized it for in his an
nual report to the interior department
he recommended the appropriation By
the federal government of an addi-
tiOnal $4,000 for the payment Of
needed extra employees, The $4,000
has since been allowed by congress al
the governors suggestion. All appro-
priatiOns for extra employees over and
above this amount are Illegal. The
$4,000 requested by the governor is
more than is actually needed, since
$4,000 would amply cover all neces-
saTy requirements The governor it IS
probable placed his recommendation
at $4,000, expecting 1t to be reduced
by the department, as is usually done
in the cases of such requests. His rec
ommendation. however was allowed
ps-,i.d as made.
As q result there is a legal $4,000
appropriation available for the pay
ment of extra employees al this session
Of the legislature
knowing that this would be the
limit of the amount which could be le-
gally appropriated for the eXtra-em-
ploye payroll, ii was hoped and con-
fidently expected that the payroll of
the two houses would be held below
that amount.
No such thing has happened how
ever As the payroll of the two houses
stands today. should this payroll go on
through the session, the total amount
to be paid out for extra employees for
the sixty days will exceed $25, 900.
There is but $4,000 available. Any
further appropriation is Illegal and If
this total Of SIS, 600 is to be paid out
to these eXrta eemploycs. it is plain
that the $4,000 must be Illegally OBJ
tanned
The tables given below, which show
the exact number of employees in the
house of representatives,, their names,
alleged occupations and amount OF
daily pay received together with the
number of employees in the council
and their pay. show very clearly where
this $25,000 is to go.
There are now sixty employees in
the house in addition to those allowed
and paid by the federal government
by the original caucus agreement
each member of the house was al
iNN'N ~ no lilt tNb tiiiIllpN' '7s A7'N'i 60
of the members refused to accept this
offer believing that the extra employe
graft should be stopped now; while
the three democratic members re-
ceiVed no allowance so that several
OF the republican members re
ceivcd an over allowance. Most of
these We're placed at the disposal OF
the machine: or to be plain, to be hlled
by H. .. Bursum and his friends. mad
dition there was given to Speaker Baca
the privilege of naming FIVE pages and
five messengers, and II. O. Bursum
was allowed to appoint six employees.
Just why Mr. Bursum, who is not |
member of the legislature, and who |
has no official connection with II ana I
no legal relation to it. should be al |
lowed to place six employees on the /
payroll TO be paid out of the territorial |
funds, is not plain. II is attempted 10 !
explain il on the ground that Mr.. Bur |
sum as the chairman of the republi- /
can territorial committee, Is entitled l
10 distribute some of the patronage !
but Just how ii should benefit the !
republican party for Mr. Bursum TO !
place six of his political adherents on /
the payroll-and what possible justi- .
hcation of their payment out of the (
funds of the territory, has not been
made clear.
It may be said i'm justification Of this
allowance Of the extra employe graft TO /
Mr. Rursum. that it was under his dt-
rcCtion that the extra employe graft
grew to its present ti)urishing condl-
ton, and that il was under him that
The system reached its highest devel-
opment.
II is not the fault of the members -
fhe house Of representatives that the .
house payroll is clogged with the
names of useless employees. and that
Illegal drafts are likely to be made
1n the territorial treasury TO pay these
useless employees. II Is the fault OF
The system
The members. many of them have
been instructed TO come down to
Santa Fe followed by "A retinue Of
men who have or may have been ot
political assistance To them in their
local campaigns. They have been
taught that the territorial treasury IS
open for the nayment of such political
1ebts They have learned from past
sessions that the treasury Is wide
open and that political debts are 10
h" ~o paid hy this system of petty
graft which i'm its aggregate becomes
-o considerable an dtem. and they
therefore, come down with their men.
FULLY expecting and fully determined
r. sur them ON the payroll and 20
keen them there.
other members are getting their
friends on the payroll. 80 viii T. Is
he wav they reason
This is not true of an Of the mem-
lfrs. and this year lllrg j.. Il cnusIL.-.