La Junta tribune., 1912-11-02
A PLAIN STATEMENT OF FACTS

there has en-, In the past. graft
in certain county offices while they
were filed by republicans. and es-
pecial In the building OF certain
bridges while Was county commis-
acknowledging that rtain bridges
xer. built vithou, letting the con
tract therefor u the lowest bidder.
and without saying so. they Intimate
that this was done br the purpose
# graft
Now tn. facts are. and easily sub
srantiated. that for number OF years
and at the time tn. bridges In ques-
ton were built. fher. was said to
be In existence bridge trust" and
when competitive bids were asked
for for the construction OF bridges.
the member OF said trust" In whose
territory the bridge happened TO be.
go, the contract because all of the
other members OF IN. trust" bid
higher than he. and the profits of
the contract were shared by every
member Of the trust IN his territory.
thus making II necessary for the
bridge 10 cost - ough 10 pay pro
Ut to every member OF the trust.
To avoid paying these profits the
county commissioners bough, tn. ma
-eriaLs for the bridges from the Pu-
eblo Bridge Company aud then let
struct the bridges fr reasonable
compensation per liueal foot OF bridge
and in tha, way avoided paving rri-
butte to tn. trust" aud saved from
81 900 {, 81 900 o. the taxpayers
money. and th.r. was not a cent of
graft OF any kind connected with II,
as Is weli known. and privately ad-
mi,ted. by the parties making the
charges or inisnuations.
4 number c! them hay. admitted
to me that they did no, for on. min
ute believe that there Was any graf,
connected with II. but said II hook
ID bad and would make good cam
paign material In other words they
~ believe that | Aas party to a
questionable. transaction. when they
voluntarily told me themselves they
do not believe II.
submit TO you the following I
have lived In la Juntz for tn. past
twenty-five years. have been City
Treasurer for the past eleven years.
nine years o. tha, tim. without op-
position. and someimi 5 endorsed on
three tickets at the same time
Now tn. peopl. OF la JunsA know
m. and do you think thar In Al, OF
these years they would not have die.
covered IT II | had been unfAithful
TO tn. trus, r.pos-d In me.
The dem 1cratic lead.is very con.
siicratrly told me that they did not
intend TO circulate this 'campai IN
Plainly brcsps. they know 1t would
react on them They do. however
pc TO poison tn minds OF the vot
ers In other parts Of the county
where am not 80 well known. by
Circulating this report among them
and II Is TO these new people that
I submit this statement and urge
y1u 10 consul, y Of the old timers
among whom a'e many d.moeratl
who have been prominent In count,
affairs f1r years. AMI whom I con
slider among tn very best friends
have. and ask them II they believe
this thing
Now about their chs-g. that the,
hal to pay back lar . .um Of mon
y Illegally collect by the rcpubii
cars while In office,
They no doubt refer to the taxcs
i coll cttd on equities In stat. lands
which had been sold TO iniividuA
purchasers. aud held under o-rtif,
Gates of purchase. and II 30. th'
facts ar. these:
When ~as on the Board o
County Commissioners and when Mr.
fcliason. a democrat. Was assessor
the attention OF tn Board OF Com
miss,on.rs vas called. bv Mr.. r~nia
son. To the fact tha, he believed tha
tn. equities In 'hos. lands shouis
be taxed. ard male pay their shar'
Il taxes. and ~As asked by sal,
Bo,rd to obtain the opinion Of tn
attorney general re- 'ardips the legal
I'y Of such = tax Ne did 80 ans
vas advised tNat II vas legal. where
u,on IN. assessor assessed said eQui
ties. and tn. county treasurer ~ai
as, asked To A>s-ss them for bacl