Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-09-25
COUNTY SHORTAGES AND INvES
rue ATIONS.

NIN. NNNINfN ANN AliNfl TOT. '.tA"Nf'Ii W.
f,for before 10 the matter Of county
shortages ana irregularities real and
alleged. and the manner cot their m-
,csugation ana correction. or lack of
correction. ~ the ease may Doe.
There IN scarce count, n the
Fintc whore srnve irrcEumri'ics u
accounting, or shortages ~ public F,
udns have not been charged nt one .
time OF another during the past few .
years The number ct instances Joe
which the irregularities have been
corrected. or the shortages punished
has been stortungly small sp FAR Hs
the public has been informed
Last week In socorro nlnety-siN wit.
nesses. We are reliably informed. we're
gathered ut tine county seat. some ui
them yoming from great distances
aud creating an enormous expense
against tho counUs already over
burdoncd court mnd. for the purpose
Of tcsurng as Go alleged shortages and
stcatnEs hN Socorro county officials
one Albuquerque business man who
had sold certain articles Co one of the
accused officials. was held iu Socorro
for thr., DAYS IN order that he might
.riye five minutes testimony solely
concerning the articles sold io whom
and how payment was made. This
mans time is worth several times the
witness fees. vet the fees which h,
has right 90 demand Will be- heavy.
Tu po sure mo- amount of money be-
too great g, bring about punishment
for m3lr,uNp,c in public office and
correct such wrongs as have been
chnrgcd IN Socorro county Hut viii
this Investigation correct the wrongs
charged
II au brings us back Co the present
inadequate system of public uuditing
In effect in this state, system which
permits the incompetent official TO
lmuddle his books past an hope of dis.
,ntaugliug ana the dishonest official
Co steal as he ploascs so long ne he
Ileaycs 1ufilcicnt funds n the treas
larry to run the county New Mexico
should have an accounting and an
Iaudlting system as perfect az that ut
the santa Fs railroad or any other
great corporation. u would save our
people many thousnncF or dollars and
liz would put m end FINAL, to the
Ichargos always being heard ui dis
honesty iu public office.
There Is another feature OF this
lbusu,ss which ls bad and which tho
Ipcople generally are beginning to
luotice. Tines, charges of IRREGULAR
ties ana stcunngs boz county offices
lalWays appear about election time
During the early stages OF a campaign
lmurmurs OF them are heard which
grow 10 yhoutIrps as the campaign
progresses the loudnrss OF the shout
depending upon the bitterness of the
l,ampoign.
When the campaign Is over they are
lheurd no more. Tho men who mako
M. charges forget them, or what is
worse. store them away for use M the
next campaign.
The people of this state ar" getting
dlsgustcd with the graft cry for poe
ilitical purposes only. &c county funds
are being stolen. II our accounting
systom rs rotten, ir our county adj
ministmuons are altogether bad, 49,,
want the stealing exposed, the rrcgu-
hariues corrected ana Justice done, re-.
lgardloss OF campaigns ana political
lambitions The people viii now De-
mand that ire authorities get busy
with these charges. in every county
where thoy hay, been made, ana keen
busy. openly and publicly until th,
abuscs have been corrected or th'
lDhargcs cleared up.
Public morality Tor political pur'
poses only b. worn throadbare