Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-02-20
Tables by Vote Of Is to 8
Resolution to Investigate
Joint Resolution No, Of
1905,
HOLT SAYS IT Is NONE OF
THE ASSEMBLY'S BUSINESS
To Look Into Disposition of
$4,000 Of Peoples Money
for Which No Accounting
Has Ever Been Given.
The Morning Journal Bureau.
Santa Fe. y. NJ. Feb. 10.

The house this afternoon, by vote
of 10 TO s, tabled house resolution No
s, introduced by Mr.. Hudspeth, of
Lincoln county. providing for an in
Nestigation of the disposition of Sl2,-
600 appropriated for the use of the
legislative assembly under joint resu-
luton No. |. by the assembly Of 1905,
and placed in the hands of the chair
man of the finance committees of the
Two houses to be expended, anc fOl
which absolutely no accounting has
ever been made. There were two of
these resolutions, numbered | and {.
under which the chairman of the
finance committe of the house re-
ceived $4,000 and the chairman of
the council finance committee $1l,-
600, for the payment of contingent
expenses Of the legislature. In addi-
ton, several thousand dollars were
paid out for printing in Spanish,
under these resolutions. some of the
printing being paid for before it was
done. 1t was under one of these res
olutions that the small army OF extra
employees were paid, and that the
$4,000 expended for visitin~ institu-
tions was paid out. Up to the pres
ent time. aside from the accounts for
printing, not a scratch of pen has
been found in any territorial record
to account for the disposition made
of these funds.
The Hudspeth resolution applied
only TO the house and sought to have
an investigation made by the house
of the disposition made by the former
house of representatives of that por-
tion of the money paid into the hands
nf lRn oh nftsVNN 90 fI,n
mittee. The disposition of the money
appropriated under these two resolu-
tions has been question which has
deeply interested the people of New
Mexico There has been lively de-
mand for information as to what was
done with the money. In a general
way it has been believed that it has
been used to pay extra employees, but
the number of these employees. who
they were and what they did, has
never been diyulged.
Mr.. Beach, of Otero Immediately
moved that the Hudspeth resolution
be referred to the finance committee.
This precipitate action on the part of
Mr. Beach did not meet the approval
of Mr.. Holt, who followed with a
motion to table the resolution indefi-
nitely. Mr.. Beach accepted the re-
proof in the proper spirit "I desire
to help some of these fake reform
ers," he said But as it seems to be
the disposition of the tandem to ta-
Bile the resolution, | vote yes
This IS the first time that Mr..
Beach has stated in the house exact
ly who Is the directing spirit of the
tandem. although there has been a
pretty general impression that Mr.,
Holt runs 1t.
Mr.. Holt opposed the resolution. He
believed it none of the business of
the house of representatives to in
quire into what a former house of
representatives did with the peoples
money The former house of repre-
sentatves went on the principle that
it was none of the peoples business
to know what they did with the peO-
pies money, so that. the sequence as
carried out by Mr.. Holt is admirable.
The roll call was demanded on the
motion to table. and the vote stood
Il to s. The detection of one vote
from the Holt following caused mild
sensation. but the matter was set
right when Representative Ramon
Padilla arose to explain that he had
made a mistake in voting with the
seven. and that he didn't mean to
do II.
Thus happily and speedily the res
Olution to give the people an account
ing for their money was disposed of.