El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-11-09
COLES SAYS He
CAN 7 TAKE JOB
Mayors Letter Makes It
Impossible; Policeman
Delivers Reply.

'sAEavOr. KeIIy's evasive answer makes
| It impossible for me to accept the city's
! offer that I be appointed assistant
auditor and publicity agent" a. P.
/ Coles said MONDAY.
He knows that I am no accountant
and it looks as if his conditions were
made in order to make it impossible
that I accept. AS for taking the money
| to use against him in the election, that
sounds like baby talk"
Policeman Is Messenger.
A policeman was delegated by
mayor. c. Z. Kelly to deliver his
reply to the letter of Mr.. Coles
in which the latter conditfoualIv
auditor and publicity agent of the city.
This position was created at a special
meeting of the city council Friday
night.
The mayors letter follows: "Your
letter of this date is before me and
am pleased to knoW that, at least, until
the close of this administration, ]
may have the benefit of your services
i'm discharging my duties to the people
of FL PasO. I hope this viii not be
made impossible by certain conditions
YOU name in your letter of acceptance.
''You ask that you be allowed to
donate the salary back to the city of
I'll Paso' have long been an en-
ployer Of labor, both personally and
officially. 1 have never sought to in
fIuence the disposition made by any
employe of the city or of my firm of
any part of his salary. I certainly
shall not begin now. I know you will
earn the salary the office carries, and
1 have nothing to say as to the dispo-
sition you make of it-whether that
be to donate it to the city or to char
ity, or use it to oppose my candidacy
for reelection. If the salary gets your
services it will be money well spent
by the city. Any disposition you make
Of it will meet your approval and no
one but you should have aught to say
of the use you make Of the wages Of
your labor.
Must Do Work.
Nov, as to the suggestion that you
be allowed to make some one else do
the work, that is an altogether differ
ent proposition. This is not permit
ted to any employee of the city of FL
Paso, and will not be while am
mayor.
It think the city's expenditures are
properly guarded and audited now.
The reason for creating the office of
assistant city auditor and publicity
agent and affixing a salary as high as
that of the mayor was to get your
services. If the people are to get only
the services of an employe of yours
there is no necessity for creating the
office.
"The mayor already had authority to
employ mere clerical help. If you &C
cept the office the public will be pay
ing for your personal services and your
personal services will be expected.
You say you only contemplated the
filing of the statements of eXpendi-
lures, not the publication Of them at
the expense of the public. As there is
at this time full, true, accurate and
itemiZed statement of every dollar eX-
pended since I became mayor. and pos
sibly before, and this is subject to pub
LEGATION by any. Ell Paso newspaper, it
was not seen Just how greater pub
licity Guild be given to expenditures
unless publication was compelled. 1t
is also expected that you will investi-
gate and ascertain II the statements
filed are true, and yourself personally
ascertain If the moneys are honestly
expended in the manner and for the
things stated.
"This is not the time nor place to
notice your suggestion that the city |
expenditures are running ahead of its |
receipts. When you assume the duties |
Of your office and see the difference ]
between the financial condition OF the /
city now and when I entered office, |
you viii entertain no fear Of municipal |
bankruptcy.
Tax Valuations.
Neither shall 1 here reply to your |
suggestion as to raising tax valuations. !
This will be the subject Of cOnsidera- |
ton only after the board Of appeals /
has completed its work and adjourned. |
81 beg leave to repeat that the dis |
position of your salary. after you have /
earned it, is something with which 1 |
have absolutely nothing to do.
AS to who shall perform the duties !
Of the office to which you have been /
appointed. it is a matter of official !
duty on my part to see that the prop I
erly qualified officer shall perform /
them, and you will have to discharge /
those duties personally just as I do /
mine, and just as all other city Off
Gals do theirs. Whether you wish to
render this service to the people OF
Ell Paso is for you to determine. /
urge you to accept the office |
Ind to give it the careful attention /