Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-03-03
The Morning Journal Bureau,
Santa Fe, y. NJ. March q

Inc hipi illllS Juul ilil tduii
Santa Fe, n NJ, March ?.
Council bill No. 65, the Speiss ac
For the settlement OF accounts oI
public officers" passed by the house
Friday afternoon with amendments
has taken the place in the center OF
the legislative stage and little else has
been discussed in Santa Fe III the way
of legislation since the bill was in
troduced in the council. Since the
members have had time to study this
bin opposition to II in its present form
has developed rapidly 50 rapidly in
fact, that there is no doubt that when
1t comes back into the council for tho
consideration of the house amendment
an effort will be made to amend the
measure so as to relieve II of its more
Objectionable features, Together with
the development of sentiment against
the bill in its present form, there has
come a feeling that law for the gem
cral purpose Of allowing a prompt and
fair settlement of the accounts of pub
lie officers would be a useful law. al
though this feeling has in no way di-
minished but has rather strengthened
the opposition to the vicious features
in the present bill
1t is shown clearly by certain prOvi-
sluns Of this bill, and 1t Is not denied.
that the bi!l as II was introduced and
as it stands. is for the express pur-
pose of bringing about an immediate
settlement of the accounts of the New
Mexico penitentiary as they were left
by H. O. Bursum, when he retired
from office. To this end provisions
k.axr tod Ia 4 xKrlNi if1
would work directly to the disadvan-
tage of the territory in any action in
court brought under the proposed act
for the settlement of Bursum's ac-
counts or on the part of any other
territorial or county officer whose ac-
counts might come into question. 1t
is these provisions which give to the
official who holds public money ad-
tageS which the man who holds an
other mans sheep does not have,
to which objection is made and upon
which the opposition to the bill is
based, With these provisions re-
moved 50 as to make the act fair
alike to the official or former official
and to the territory or county, and 1t
is believed that the opposition
to the bill might disappear, provided
it be brought into shape so that it
ute books not only for year and not
while the accounts of Mr. Bursum or
those Of any other individual official
are i'm question, but for all time
The way in which the bill as it now
stands would operate has been clearly
shown. and that it would so operate
has not been effectually denied, nor
has any serious attempt been made
to deny it. That the bill as it was
originally drawn and introduced was
for the benefit of Mr.. Bursum alone
has not been denied But even with
the special purpose in view which in
spired ii, the bill, it is pointed out to-
day, could be brought into such form
that it would, by being made fair alike
to the official of former official and
the territorial or county government,
become a useful statute. 1t is now be-
lieved that an effort will be made
to relieve the bill of those provisions
which are recognized as unfair and IL
is difficult to see how objection can
be made to such a reforming of the
measure.
The opposition to the bill In its
present form has brought out from
the supporters of its present provisions
the only argument apparently, which
they have to offer. This is the insin-
uation that the territory has refused
to allow Mr. Bursum an immediate
settlement of his penitentiary accounts
i'm court.
In view of the facts in the case of
Mr.. Bursum and his penitentiary ac-
counts this effort to defend the extra
ordinary provisions of the bill as it
nov stands. and which have been
pointed out with startling clearness,
1. I. 4 ltT
sum appear in an even more unfor-
he has appeared since the co-ndt
tion of the pententiary accounts
under his management became
known. From the very first the
territory has made plain desire to
bring the penitentiary accounts into
court in order to bring about a set
tlemcnt of the amounts alleged to be
due the territory from Mr.. Bursum.
Where the Territory Has Stood.
on September cath 1906, immedi-
atcly after the Santa Fe grand jury
had refused to find an indictment
against Mr.. Bursum in connection with
the shortages in the penitentiary
books Attorney General w c. Reid
in the course of an authorized news
paper interview, said:
tHt pCITltOtys w iIc fCHOft VI tit
Colorado, Title and Trust COM
pany, has pointed out to Mr..
Bursum his shortage. lie pre-
tends not 10 see It, and as vet has
made no Offer 10 reimburse the terri
tory. This makes II necessary for me-
as attorney general. TO commence an
action against him To recover the
amounts which we know to be due
frO.,l him.
$50 far MS | am concerned. l am
willing TO submit the Racts TO any of
the SIX judges of New Mexico within
day after suit is filed, 50 that Mr.