Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-20

As SPRACT|CEO
BY EXPERTS
HOW THE CITY PAID 81 900
EXTRA FOR LEGAL SERVICE
Interesting SideIight on Water
Famine of Last Summer and
Other Matters of Interest to
the Taxpayer

There is good old democratic
! doctrine to ne effect that 10 tho
victo~s belono the spois"
The doctrine is altogether ont of
harmony with the following pledge.
made to the people IS Albuquerque by
the present democratic administration
in the platform 90 which 1t was
elected In April, l90S
we favor rigid cconOniy in all pub
lie expenditures, md believe that so
far as practicable all paid Officers OF
thc city should receive "a fixed com
pcnsatsOn.
The city attorney Of Albuquerque
receives fixed compensation OF SEQ
per month, or S7sO q year. The
present city attorney has received his
salary for two years. lie has been
paid $3.50 from the city treasury
I'm addition. he has received IN the
way Of extra compensation the sum
of $500, for alleged extra services per-
formed.
Up to the present administration the
city attorney. at the same salary has
done the legal business OF the city
without assistance and without any
bonuses
The present city attorney may he
an extra efficient man and therefore
entitled To extra pay-but the city adj
ministfation. from the council rec
ords does not seem TO have thought
so.
Last summer the Water supply
company ran out of water 1t had
made no provision whatever ia care
Tor the needs of the city during the
long period of drouth ana not only
We're the people. put &C. Inconvenience
ana suffering FOR weeks but the
health Of the whole community was
endangered. The situation Was one
of the most alarming Albuquerque has
ever faced Tn" water company APP
prar,l 20 De HE RnU.sNr and ia liffpr-
cnt lis the city council appeared 10
be incapable Of dealing with the sit
uation. 40 steps were taken to re- I
iicNc the pcoplc until the council was 4
forced by an aroused and indignant 4
public sentiment and the demand of I
Il mass mecling. TO go into court
When the council decided to go into /
court. however. instead OF allowing
The city attorney tn take the simple
legal steps reQuired--for the legal .
phase of the matter was ia no way
complicated Mir Summers Burkhart,
the veteran warhorse of the local de- .
mocracy chaiFman Of the city com
mittoe and secretary OF the territorial
committee, was cahed into the cnse
TO help MIR Collins out
Ar Burkhart was occupied in
court with this case about three days,
iic was paid q Zee OF $500.
II viii he noted that Mr.
Burk hart received. for conducting
one brief case sum equal TO that al ,
lowed the city attorney over aud above !
his salary. for conducting negotiations
and legal matters any one of which, ,
IL properl' attended TO. must have re ,
uuired many times the time and ef- l
fort involved In the Water companNs
case. :
why was this? Was 1T merely q :
phase of carrying out the policy Of =
rigid economy?
II viii be recalled that when Mayor
Lester made his appointments two
years ago. Mr.. BurKhar's friends de-
sired him to be appointed city at "
iorney in recognition OF his Wen
known services to his party.
Hut the party boss ~ thought other \
wise. Il is said they considered Mr. =
Collins a more Us'ful rnrts man -
and he was appointed :
II has been stated that Mr. Burk- .
nart's retention m thr Watnr company -
,ase afforded am opportunity To pla- !,
ate his friends for his failure 70 re- -
.eive the city attorneNship. Mr. lWrk- .
1Hlf carried IfAf fHNf' AiilbhAkh NN' N'F7ff IL
'ulIv. as any other lawyer of expert u
nee would have done. a
hut when Mr Collins learned that -
Nv Hurkhart WAS to receive $500 for =
loing work which he probably cN-
,ected to do AS part of his routine
lutv. the stort- soes that he became
gerieved and. calling the attention :"
II the council 60 the work ne had ."
lone d,iu4n len some OF the extra re-
81 ri ttrffttH tnr litssFl { 4
er,ic.s n is even said that Mr. Col /
ms iittimi t,d GENTLY To Mayor Lester
sal certain rulncilmun that II iu"
oup.if didn't comc through. ne woul
,s.sr and uakr row. The mayor
na Council otmc tn ough.
gv fhus.. f %" fake seriously i'ff
,.f.tr. ...f r.il economy in all ruo-
c ..xr.udlrf-s 10 Is contended tA"t
th, cifv attorney was competent 70
ondret The ieral phases nf the i'm -
,rtaut sewer bond matter he y
houla. have, been competent {"
nndle the Water company suit. and
hat h,. should have done so in the
nursc OF his duty al the salary ON
.hich he accepted the office. Just as
ther city attorneys nave ntt'hueu 70
ich legal business as has come up'
ithont extra pay.
Th. faot remains that Afr. Burk- Ir
ART ...t hi. $500 Mr.. Collins got his
500 aud $500 a year besides
IL NAV b. ~r-id economy to en1- m
los an extra democratic lawver 10 se
ID work FOR fhe city FOR which one u"
emncraffr lawyer IS already beine az
rfd THE work WAS necessary II ti'
lould have he-n done before % was
one The only question. as regards ~
De- expenditure. is why the council ~
,und 30 necessary Co employ au eN- A.,
- lawyer to conduct brief case 'n n
iurf when DO had lawyer on the
.gular payroll whose duty it was to
tend 90 tho eitV's husinesS.
Mr Collins took the city attorney
.h at q stated salary fHe city ah-
in paying AIR Collins tb
nn "Nifs Tor e"in= work which he tit
as expected g" Hr On The salary at 81
hfch D. accepted the office. eNer- II.
.ed about The same -ri-iu economy af