Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-06-25
BOARD OF REGENTS HELD
AT FAULT FOR SHORTAGE
: AT THE A. & M. COLLEGE


penses and contracted liabilities
against the state, beyond the terms
of the laws authorizing eXpendi-
lures by them as such members OF
said board. and in that they and
each one of them authorized the
contracting of Indebtedness and
did actually contract Indebtedness
in behalf of the New Mexico college
of agriculture and mechanic arts
and ostenSibly against the state. on
account of said institution in eX-
cess of the appropriations made
for the maintenance and support
thereof for and during the seventh
and eighth fiscal years, ending
respectively November so, A. d.
1919, and November 80, 4. d. 1920.
There were present at said hear
ing the Honorable o. O. Askren,
attorney general, representing the
state of New Mexico, and Messrs,
| r. w. Clothier, president of the
college; Mr.. j. n. Hendricks, ac-
countant and auditor for the col
lege. and Earl T. Wiley, chief clerk
of the state auditor the last three
having been summoned by the
governor as witnesses at the hear
! ing. The governor read the an
swer of the regents in open session,
and proceeded to take the testi-
mony of the above named witnesses,
who, previously thereto, had been
duly sworn as directed by law, TO
| tell the truth, the whole truth, ana
nothing but the truth, to the best or
their knowledge and belief.
Present Board at Fault.
To the defense made by the re-
gents, to the effect that detlclt
existed at the time that they took
charge of their respective offlces
as members of said board. it was
proven by the testimony OF Mr.
| Hendricks, the official accountant
and bookkeeper of the institution,
that the deficiency existing in the
! financial affairs of the college was
created absolutely by authority of
the present board of regents; that
the total expenses incurred and au-
thorized by the present board of
regents for the current fiscal year,
up to and including June 10, A. ID.
! 1920, amount to be Sill ,42O.4O. as
against resources and revenues
| from all sources amounting to S52,-
747S5, thus leaving a deficit on the
10th day of June, 1920, amounting
to $5S,672.55.
It was further testified by the
witness, Hendricks that, in his
opinion. this deficit would be in
creased by the end of the present
scholastic year ending June 30,
1920. by about $4,000. thereby
creating total deficit, at the close
of the current scholastic year June
80, A. d. 1920, in excess of $4,000:
all of which was done by order and
authority of the present board of
regents.
Spent Money To Aid War.
II is claimed by the members of
the board, in their joint answer,
| that great portion of the money
thus expended was necessarily so
expended by the college in its noble
efforts and endeavors to render its
full measure of assistance to the
country in the successful prescott
ton of the war against the central
powers of Europe; that monies had
been expended, with that object in
view, in securing larger production
Of foodstuffs. in building and equip
ping barracks for the accommoda E
ton and training of young men
who were to enter the service 81
the government either in the army
or navy during the war, and IN
finally buying at very low rate
mechanical and engineering mater
ial for the college from the United
States government.
If any portion of the now exist
ing deficit in the finances of that
institution were due to actual eX'
: penses incurred in assisting to
: prosecute the war to a successful
t issue, | would not consider it a VIC
lation of law, much less would
7 hold it as a sufficient reason just
7 tying the removal on the board Ct
5 directors, and this, upon the prin
t ciple that the defense Of the coun
I try rises above and is superior tt
= all other considerations. But | an
= convinced that no portion OF TN
g existing deficiency is due to tina
e cause, either directly or indirectly
The records of this office show tina
f from May 81, 1917, to February .
i 1918, there was paid to the college
| by order of His EXcellency w. i
Y Lindsey, then the governor or TN
e state, to pay salaries and expense
of county agricultural agents, hom
= demonstration agents. and expens
| es in connection with the extension
1 service the sum of $23, SASH. From
u August |, 1918, to January /, 1918
Z there was paid to the college, D.
r order of Governor Lindsey, 1T
= pay for barracks and equipment 10
!. student army training corps IN
sum of $26,S25. From January
1919, to July l, 1919, there wa
paid to the college, by my orde
as governor, ito pay for equipmeh1
supplies, tools. etc, for studen
army training corps being mon
les to reimburse the state for eX
\ penses incurred as above statet
| the sum of $lS,49346 Lastly 70
the purpose of paying the last re
I naming balance of monies spen
by the college, in the constructio
of barracks for army trainin
= corps, there was paid by my orde
, the sum of $4.S12.S2, making
grand total of moneys paid to tina
institution, from the state wa
fund, in full, of expenses INQUIRE
by reason of the war, the sum c
A. $73,679.49
d Contracted Unlawful Debts.
is This completely sets at rest IN
N claim advanced to the effect tina
a any portion of the existing def'c
e, was incurred as a result of the co
l. leges contribution to the war. TIL
At undisputed fact then, remains thu
* the present board of regents of tn
,e agricultural college did contrat
T. Indebtedness against the state. owe
n and above the funds that wer
* made available to them by law,
g: sum which at the end of tn
l. present month of June, will excee
$4,000.
IS 1t is not claimed by anyone tn;
oil this money. or any portion or
Nv was wasted or improperly dispose