Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1910-03-20
SPLENDID RECORD
OF JAMES S. RIGGS

The Hon. James J. Riggs. who
some weeks ago rendered his resig,
nation to the governor retires To-
day from the office of citizen mem
Der" of the board of control, and
the territory thereby loses the SER
vices OF a most valuable officer
For a long time Mr.. Riggs has suf-
fered from impaired health, and he
at last found it imperatiyeIy neces-
sary to take a rest. He was impell-
ed to remain in office from a sense
of duty TO the territory-he wished
to see completed the new territorial
prison and the new hospital for the
insane. the construction of which
has engaged his close attention for
two years. and this important work
is now finished.
The citizen member" of the
board OF control is one of the i'm
portant cogs In the machinery OF
our territorial government. The
board of control manages the prison
the asylum for the insane and the
industrial school. and has a large
responsibility in connection with ter
ritorial highways. She board con-
sists of the governor. the auditor
and the citizen member" who un-
der the law must be of a political
faith opposite to that of the govern
or The keeping of the accounts of
the institutions mentioned. and di-
rect responsibility OF management
fall to the citizen member"
For more than ten years Arizona
has been blessed with clean. honest,
efficient and economical government
Governor Murphy. Governor Bro
die, Governor Kibbey and now Gov
ernor Sloan, having each manifested
a deep concern for the public well
fare-and the men appointed by the
executive have done their best 10
conform TO the high standards set
by their chiefs. II is a matter of
pride to all citizens of the territory
that during this decade OF excep-
tionally creditable and satisfactory
government there has been practi-
cally no politics exhibited in the
administration of territorial affairs
the welfare of all the people has
been the watchword And demo
Gratis are justifiable in taking
large pride in the share which rep
resentatives of their party have had
in the territorial government. All
the governors mentioned having been
republicans. the citizen members"
of the board of control have been
democrats; and these democrats:
the Hon. E. ]. Bennitt, the Hon.
Geo. E. Truman, and the Hon. James
]. Riggs, have in turn rendered ex-
ceedingly valuable service. During
all of this period there has been
the most complete harmony in the
discharge of official duties. The
members Of the board of control
would. in the performance of their
work. never know the politics of
their respective associates except
from chance recollection of a past
campaign. All Of which is some
evidence in support Of our belief
that the average citizen of Arizona
cares very little about politics or
to hear OF politics except when an
election is near; and of our belief
that taking them in the mass, the |
people of Arizona are the broadest |
and best people in the world
Men while in office receive at /
times compliments which they
should discount more or less. 1t is
when they leave office, nd after,
hat they are most apt to hear the
ruth about themselves. Mr.. James
J. Riggs. democrat, and from today
/ private citizen once more, joins
he ranks of his fellow citizens after
several years of honest, arduous and
capable service to the public, fol-
owed by the best wishes OF the
people Of the territory-Arizona Re
publican.