Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-03-01

%@lAI HE present legislative assembly VIII adHouHl "Wo" d"WF
fec and salary bill which will relieve the people o the larger counties
e. Of the enormously bmdensome salaries they are no." paying their county
officers, IS a contamination winch those people VINO arc 'w"' wv"
dc conditions will refuse to believe. Inc people IN inc 'a'' " nv"
prosperous counties, know 10 their sorrow and TO Their personal financial "f
die need for thus lcq.ahoni and il iolo~s a a matter OF course tina eacn
individual member Of the assembly knows what Is known generally g"
re people.
The demand for adequate salary legislation winch will relieve ba e
caaydy burdensome condition. IS universal There is not a taxpayer outside
Oh a small orde Of socaHcd 'pnctcal politicians who IS not heartily ana
enthusiastically in favor Of a reduction Of county salaries "a the h' e''
counties and who. il his wishes should be made known. would be found
demanding that such reduction be made It does not matter s very muco
whether The fee system be retained. or whether a straight salary bass De
adopted. 80 HAT the total remuneration 10 be received BY The office holder le
reduced 10 a fair proportion to hc service performed II Is held that the
straight salary plan IS not a practical. workable plan, and that the graded lee
.,srm N. oy .a1,l,eo1 system. II hs be true. let us have the graded
lee system. only lH. the fees be reduced 10 where they belong and % maHmu"
amounts which the people eat afford 10 pay,
hr fact that he laws permitting these enormous eompenatons were never
designed nor Intended to be acts Of fairness OF justice, but yer SIMPLY ana
solely Ion the purpose Of opening The way 10 egahled robbery They Were
passed when Frank IIubbel held Beuadlo county IN hs clutches, and the
legislature under hs thumb, and their only object was to enable hun "
appropriate. lawfully. the bulk Of the revenue Of tins county o ms own
im dc continuance OF such conditions and it is not to be believed that the
members ol dc assembly. even these few who pro(c@edy are nothing for
lc interests OF the people ~I be willing to force the people % bear tins
In BeoaUo county last year %. county treasurer and eso6oo collector
received nearly $4,000 IN fees. Think Of it, a county which has 10 levy
po1al taxes to keep The mc of its farms and % sustain a single bridge over
which he people may cross; a county which is struggling with a burden Of
current mdabtdnc. left 10 it by a class OF politicians for revenue only vino
helped to RAISE The fees to their present outrageous level; think Of such a
county paying its treasurer and collector a single official, $4,000 a year!
Then stop and think hat the assessor is getting about the same amount
fen vhhp For working about three months in the year
With the exception OF The county superintendent Of schools the Other
officials ne likewise oyepod. but de osopa is not % enormously and o'.
rrcsa'e} exhorbtanL Why should the people be <addcd with a burden
like ts} What possible reason is there t@t may be held before a legislative
assembly to deter 1t from taking action 10 wipe out this edl}
secure Legislation which will relieve tins condition There IS no such jushhcn
lar and IS mol 10 be believed hot the prean. assembly wll seek to find it,
The people OF The 6t class countes ac unanimous IN demanding reform
TO- dis business Of county salaries The members Of the assembly are familiar
sh le conditions There IS reason TO believe that a majority oi the members
ID hc assembly an prepared o at Let them proceed without further
della, 10 wipe ou ds crying abuse which has been lu years not only inn
ro,ersbne de county treasures. but standing he greatest influence for
political and Official corruption.
Ae Inc people OF BcualIo eaury to b. called upon to pay tar