The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-02-07
FACTS AND FIGURES ON
EXTRA EMPLOYEES GRAFT
How the Peoples Money is Squandered at Santa Fe
by the Legislature Elected to do the Will of the
People of New Mexico

however, was allowed to stand as
made.
AS a result there is n legal $4,000
appropriation available for the pay
ment of extra employees at this ses-
sion of the legislature.
Knowing that this would be the
limit of the amount which could be
,, legally appropriated for the extra-em
ploye payroll, it was hoped and con-
fidently expected that the payroll of
the two houses would be neld below
that amount.
No such thing has happened how
ever. AS the payroll of the two nous
es stands today, should this payroll
go on through the session, the total
amount to be paid out for extra en-
ployes for the sixty days will exceed
$685. 900. There is but SIS, 900 availa-
Bile. Any further appropriation is il
legal and if this total of $25,000 is to
be paid out to these extra employees,
it is plain that the $4,000 must be il
legally obtained
The tables given below which show
the exact number of employees in the
house of representatives, their names
daily pay received, together with the
number of employees in the council,
and their pay, show very clearly
where this $25,O0O is to go.
IN
the house in addition to those allow
ed and paid by the federal govern
ment. By the original caucus agree
ment each member of the house was
allowed to name two employees. Sew
eral of the members refused to accept
this offer, believing that the extra EN-
ploye graft should be stopped now;
while the three democratic members
received no allowance, so that sever
al of the republican members receiv-
ed an over allowance. Most of these
were placed at the disposal of the
machine; or to be plain, to be filed
by H. o. Bursum and his friends. In
addition there was given to Speaker
Baca the privilege of naming five pag-
es and five messengers, and H. o.
Bursum was allowed to appoint six
employees
Just why Mr.. Bursum, who is not
a number of the legislature, and who
has no official connection with it and
no legal relations to it, should be al
lowed to place six employees on the
payroll to be paid out of the territor-
ial funds, is not plain. 1t is attempt
ed to explain it on the ground that
Mr.. Bursum as the chairman of the re
publican territorial committee, is en-
titled to distribute some of the pa
tronage''-but just how it should ben
eft the republican party for Mr.. Bur
sum to place six of his political adher
ents on the payroll-and what posi-
BILE justification of their payment out
of the funds of the territory, has not
been made clear.
1t may be said in justification of this
allowance of extra employe graft to
Mr.. Bursum, that it was under his di-
rection that the extra employe graft
grew to it's present fiourishing condi-
tion, and it was under him that the
system reached it's highest develop
ment
1t is not the fault of the members
of the house of representatives that
the house payroll is clogged with the
names of useless employees, and that
illegal drafts are likely to be made
on the territorial treasury to pay
these useless employees. 1t is the
fault of the system.
The members, many of them have
been Instructed to come down to San
ia Fe followed by a retinue of men