The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-02-13

- Ne thing which ne people
q. have demanded n connection
- with county salary leeisla-
'tlon Il that ue salary ahaIi BE- paid
which wni psrmlt TIE candidate for
county ofnce to gamble a large sum
lasaluss M chance for election; o..
In icthsr words. salaries which VII
%inapre the bis campaign alush funds
VI the past
The principle Of paying hleh salar-
lee to the present county officers from
the I'M Of their election up 10 Jan.
nary 4. kats. seoms @ have been that
these officers were entitled % receive
what they hoped 70 get when elected
ard that since many u them A.
ready had received and spent the
money on that basis Il would not be
fair 70 ark them TO give Il back. Al
b secondary principle q has been
urged BY some Of those anxious TO
reach a settlement. that the salary
funds or the several counties are
burs,ihs. ana since most OF the bls
salary money already has cen raised
We would NJ well spend a. That a
very simple law would convert any
sufpiuu IN the saiary funds Into other
funds. where needed. seems not TO
have occurred 70 many county salary
makers
hut the point is here: ny an
amendment TO our constitution
adopted last November county off,
GERS are permitted to succeed them
selves as often a. they can set elect
Cd. BY voting our present county Of
neers the old-tlme salaries for four
years Of their flve-year term. we
make II possible for any reasonably
economical county officer 90 save out
plenty Of money from the four years
Of plenty. not only to tide him over
the lean years. bat likewise % allow OF
his making a very healthy contribu-
lion to a fund for hIs reelection.
Il is asserted hat the county Of
hcer does not give a continental darn
about what salary his successor gets.
He does not, unless hat successor
happens 20 be himself. or hits brother
or cousin or nearest friend. Then
he cares a lot. BY amending the
constitution ~ ~ to permit success
sion We have opened a way back to
the old ring system. BY granting the
old Tins fat salaries for four years
we go a long way toward supplying
'the fuel TO operate the system. Two
years Of lean salaries will not deter
many OF our local county machine
managers from continuing In the
service Of the people. especially as
In 1917. just two years hence. they
win have a fine opportunity to match
another scrap with old salary Bill.
loE the basis now proposed by the
majority u looks 10 us as " in the
present battle the county officers had
scored considerably better than a
draw wlah SALARY BIn-aad active
were about 20 enc them Jack into
draining for the next scrap under ex-
,csptionally favorable conditions.
The referee in this battle. known
as The People. probably will give the
decision TO the county officers and
against the Repubiicel majority in
the legislature. And this will be no
mere newspaper decision either. To
SAY that this particular fight vas a
frame-up between the victorious
county officers and the Republican
machine managers would be putting
"a q little strong perhaps. But the
result. certainly. Is not going to make
any material reduction in the am
paign contribution possibilities from
county officers TO the Republican
machines campaign fund Tor 1915.
IL Is even possible that II will help
"a little.