The Greeley tribune., 1912-09-05
Pearce Saved
State Thousands

The success Of any institution ts
measured by the extent OF Its eco
ponsics and the consequent amount
Of its profits. Lack OF Systematic
effort and constructive aduainistra-
tion inevitably lead to failure, and
in this connection what IL true Of
private enterprise il more essentially
true Of public Office.
In all that concerns the conduct
Of their servants the people are en-
titled to the fullest and tr,sest In
| formation. The time has pesee<t
when sg,read-ea&lism or empty vap-
orings can he made to do duty for
facts. What the people want to and
should know Is just precisely what
their officials have dOne during
their terms Of office. In otlsee
words, Whist their record hes been
and how far It has benelltted the
state. and thereby liGhteaed tbs
burylens Of taxation. This 10 the
main Issue; all others arc subsi-
diary.
/ A. . whoae, the denncra&ae s9le.
iaIs Of the present state admlinisfra.
tiOn can he commended for thotr de-
votiOn to, and proper regard for, the
dutiee Of their various O6Aces. In.
animation Of theil siennial reports
fully justifies this statement, but
TIE report Of Secretary Of State
Peerce for the fiscal year ending in
1910, ~ well As the Agures Of the
mast IL nOnths. show such . splen-
did record OF work accomplished. OF
, constructive administration and Of
saving to the taxpayers, that an
analysis OF II will convince the most
, skeptical Of what an efficient, busi-
uess-like official can do In behalf of
all TIE people Of the state.
A man who saves to tho state
! Sl36,0IO.O5 in A. months must GER
tatnly be credited with more than
the usual quantity Of business acn-
men. In l0O3-6, under the admin
. iytration of james COwie. republican
. .. secretary Of state, the total receipts
were S277 1857, while for the
:, same period In 1911 and 1912, I'M
der Pearce, they were $500, ,2s0. ~,
an increase Of S23, ,O61.21.
4 Pearce's immediate predecessor
Il was T. W. OCOnnor. The records
G show an increase Of @73,551. .82 in
1 the relative periods Of 1907 and
o 1908, and Of $40, ,207 - In the per-
d io<is Of 1909 aud 1910.
r In other words, PeArce collected
1113,848.S4 more in 1909 and 1910
than O'COnnOr did In 1907 and
= 1908, or q grand total Of $138,91O,.
It O5 gained in the ~ months Pearce
g has been In Office.
:; divide this total Of $138,91O,-
!. O3 by ~ and the average increase
y per month IN &3,259.76 over the re-
publican brethern WHO were secre-
i. taries Of state from 1908 to 1909.
y Why. one months saving effected by
:. PearCe would almost pay his years :
!. salary, SO his retention In his Office
. :, for another term would seem more
!. like an investment by the people
=. than anything else.
But this II only small part oi
the splendid record Of Secretary
Pearce. Through his efforts several
laws were placed on the s,atutc
:. hooks compelling corporations 10
- pay their taxes and file annual state
:. nients disclosing their business
- ]. standing at the end OF each year.
~ Not alone this, but several OF hjs
- - Recommendations. all beneficial in the
" way Of resllning taxation, have b.en
:. the machinery Of state governments,
The present fiat tax law. ma King
corporations operating In or incor.
IpOrate<i in Colorado. n prolific
S. source u revenue. was his creation.
~ When Pearte assumed Office l,<
- found that thousands 0f CORPORA.
In tions were delinquent In the nav.
20 Inent Of their Hat taxes. He insist.
70 ed on the liquidation of those debts
n, tO the state and when he had finisi<
No ed his work In 1910. he had in.
n creasesi the collections by s8i. .stO..
-. In other words. his prc,,ecc..
sOrs In 10O6-S gathered In xoo .
Oo8.Os. while Pearce collected ans
delivered into the treasury sS3. .pO5 /.
ed 81.
"a The total nat tax collections NJ.
as "er Pearce In 10O8-tO werr SIX.
'o'S.1S ~ against @0a,6.9.O3.