Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-05-25
Mr.. Mcdonald Refuses to Ap-
prove Measure on Grounds
of Its Apparent Extravaganza
and VaguenesS.
SETS OUT OBJECTIONS
IN LENGTHY MESSAGE
Believes Total Appropriation of
$4,000 for Ten and a Half
Months is Unreasonable and
UnWauanted,

Santa Fe, N. M, May 24.-1n the
first veto message which he has sent
to the state legislature. Governor Will
liam C. Mcdonald late this afternoon
transmitted to the senate Veto Mes
sage No. /, announcing his disapprov-
al of Committee Substitute for Senate
Bill No. 43. appropriating funds for
the payment OF the salaries of men,
poration commission, department OF
the state government created by con-
sttutional provision.
Governor McDonald's message sets
out his objections fully and clearly.
1t Is devoid of any flavor of parti-
sanship. Summed up. the refusal of
the governor to approve the substi-
tute bill is based on what he believes
20 b. unwarranted extravagance and
the vagueness of certain sections of
the bill in which it is not set out
clearly as to where the money asked
for Is to go, beyond the bare fact that
1t is for expenses, salaries of en-
ployes and subordinates and contin-
gent expenses" The governors veto
message is in full as follows:
Veto Message No. 4.
Santa Fe, N. NJ. May "a, 1912.
To Hon. II. c. de Baca, president, and
0 Members OF the scuate, tirs' state
Legislature, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Gentlemen: l return herewith,
without approval, Committee Substi-
tute for Senate Bill No. 43, entitled,
IAN Act Appropriating Funds for
Payment of Salaries Of Members and
Employees of the State Corporation
Commission, and for the Necessary
Expenses of Said Commission"
This bill provides an appropriation
of $7.s75 to pay the salaries of the
corporation commissioners from jan
uary 18th to November 30th, 1912;
also $7,425 to pay the salaries of of
fieers, assistants and subordinates'
during the same time, and further
appropriation of $14,700 is made for
contingent and incidental expenses
of said commission.
There Is no question but the appro-
priation to pay the salaries OF the
commissioners is just and proper, as
these salaries are provided for by the
constitution. How the sum of s7,425
was arrived at to ''pay Officers, assist
ants and subordinates," L am at a loss
to understand. II seems to me that If
the exact amount could be calculated,
then the different Officers, assistants
and subordinates" might very well
have been ascertained and mentioned.
You may have had very good cause
for not mentioning these, satisfactory
to yourselves, but il is not plain or
satisfactory to me.
The people of New Mexico, in my
opinion, have a right to know for what
purpose and for wnat services tney
ere paying this money. Such meth
cd of paying officers and employees
would not, in my opinion, make a
good precedent to be followed In
transacting the business of the state.
The lump sum of s14,1O0. to pay
contingent and incidental expenses
of this commission seems to me to be
excessive and unwarranted, when con-
sidering the work that has been done
and the expenses incurred up TO date
since January 10Th. From the best
evidence obtainable, the total ex-
penses of this commission for the
four and half months from Janu-
ary 18th to June LIST, including as
sistants, incidental expenses and eV-
erything. will not exceed $4,000 actual
expenses. The appropriation for the
six months, from June 1st to Novem-
Der Goth, would therefore be in the
neighborhood of $4,000.
1t may be said in explanation and
Justification Of this legislation. that II
Is difficult TO ascertain what the ex-
penses may be for the next SIX
months. II appears, however. from
the bill that YOU were able TO make
exact figures on the salaries OF the
officers. assistants and subordinatcs
who are not mentioned.
According to the best evidence at
hand at the present time. the commis-
sion has employed up TO date a chiei I
clerk at s2.500 per annum. and assist
ants at $4,000 per annum and three |
clerks at SIS per month each. TINS I
statement was made to me by mem
Der of the commission. These three
clerks have not been employed all the
time. I believe that the total pay TO |
assistants. etc. for the first four and
half months will not exceed s2.5eo. |;
and this includes the salary Of well &
paid official. who has done very little 4
IN any actual work for this commits I
sion.
In addition TO the appropriations ,
provided in this bill for the corpora I