Arizona republican., 1909-11-02
Some Results of Late Legislation.

The late territorial legislature. if il were still in session. would find some embarrassment in considering the re- port of the Pinal county grand jury published in The Republican of Sum- day. The legislature, controlled by democratic politicians, and operated most of the time for supposed par tisan advantage, abolished the office of public examiner and abolished the force of territorial rangers.
 The public examiner was a travel ing auditor of the several counties. By keeping close watch on the fiscal affairs of each county, by keeping a constant check on all disbursing of- ficers, and by frequent conferences with county officers, and by forcing the collection or return of money which belonged in the county treas uries, he added to the public funds each year many thousands of dollars, the expense of maintaining his office being trivial in comparison. More over. during the time that we had a public examiner there were no defal- cations in county offices. Imme- diately prior to the creation of the office of public examiner there had been several cases of embezzlement the sums stolen in one or two cases being so large that the losses to the taxpayers were most serious. To be sure, no defalcations might have oc- cured if there had been no public examiner during the period of that officers activities, but his vigilant scrutiny of public accounts gave the people a feeling of securty-and, as already pointed out, the funds recov- cred amounted to a large profit on the expense of the office.
 As to the territorial rangers. the legislature had this much of an ex- cuse for abolishing the force-in some counties they apparently were not needed. In other counties, however, they were needed constantly. They made scores of arrests for felonies, and they sent dozens of criminals to the penitentiary. And against some forms of popular law breaking-gam- bling, for example-the rangers were the most potent force In counties where they were on duty there was no gambling. and disreputable resorts outside the towns were not permitted to flourish.
 The report of the grand jury of Pinal county is interesting reading at this time-especially the paragraphs here reprinted:
 We regret to Say, however, that the time usually at the disposal of the grand jury and our general unfamil- iarity with the various systems of &C., counts used in the various county of- fices is so limited that our investiga- tions along these lines are of little practical benefit to the taxpayers and citizens of this county. Because of this condition of affairs and for the reason that these matters can be more carefully and successfully handled by an official whose special duty it would be to inquire into such matters and who would be fully competent to make examinations into the financial con- duct and transactions with respect to the funds of the county. it is the sense of this grand jury that the repre- sentatives of Pinal county in suc- ceeding legislatures should use their best efforts for the creation of such an office"
 Tt has come to our notice that public gambling in the towns of Flor ence. Kelvin. Ray and Mammoth. all situated in Pinal county, is conducted. We have examined into these viola tions of law and find that such is a fact: that public gambling is being conducted in the above mentioned towns. In Ray. Kelvin and Mammoth gambling is conducted openly, with money and other considerations of value in full view of the public in the various saloons of these towns and without any remonstrance or &C., tions on the part of the local or coun- ty officials"
 And. as our readers will recall, the report set forth that infamously dis reputable houses are found on the public highways of the county.
 If it had happened that the grand jurors making this report were re- publicans. we probably should have heard the feeble excuse that it was made from partisan motives. But a majority of the Pinal grand jurors are democrats, we understand. If grand jurors in other counties are equally conscientious, the courts will | be apprised of conditions elsewhere | quite similar to those in Pinal
 But until we can have another leg islature. the men who achieved this |