The Coconino sun., 1927-06-24
GRAND JURY SCRATCHES THE
SURFACE, PROMISES FUR
THEIR EXPLORATION
(Arizona Republican,

The county grand jury, after a de-
liberation of seevral months, has
found that things in the state, county
and city are not as they ought to be.
That is now a part of the public rec
ord. If these conditions as described
in the second report Of the grand jury
are allowed to continue, that will be
the fault Of the people.
In the view of the grand jury, there
has been general disregard of law,
the grossest official negligence of law
observance and enforcement Though
the report only inferentially describes
this disregard as criminal, it is not a
final report, but leaves the way open
for further investigation when the
grand jury may come into possession
Of still more precise information.
The findings regarding the mis-
management or interference with"
the state highway department are par
ticularly damning, involving the Jug
Cling of the funds Of the departments
under the control of the board of di-
rectors of state institutions, and their
conversion without authority of law
to the use of the state highway de-
partment. 1t finds that, in certain
cases, that was accomplished by
means of dummies" on the payroll Of
the state prison. Pages were found
missing from the prison books, whose
absence could not be explained.
The report cites the diversion from
the state hospital for the insane fund
to the always open nav of the state
highway department. Yet in the late
legislative sessions one of the loudest
complaints of the friends Of the adj
ministration was that the hard heart
ed legislature would not make ample
provision for the comfort and necessi-
ties of the unfortunate inmates of that
institution. The report also refers to
juggling in the awarding of a contract
for an asylum building for which pro-
vision had been made by the last pre-
ceding legislature.
The report takes notice of the "po-
litical expediency" which holds unfit
or partially unfit" persons in COM
manding positions in the state high
way department. Regarding the en-
ployment of state highway department
attaches in the business of soliciting
campaign subscriptions for certain
state officials" the grand jury recon-
Lie VI lCS W
prevent such activities 1t will be re-
membered that the prohibition of such
practices was especially aimed at in
one of the Winsor pure election"
bills which were vetoed by the COVER
nor.
A striking illustration Of the man
ner in which the money of the tax
payers is frittered away is also found
in the reference of the report to the
affairs OF the office of secretary of
state, when $11, 900 was expended in
the process of returning $4,000 which
had been collected under law which
had afterward been held to be in
valid. Also in the showing that of
$124,O00 collected in the motor de-
partn!ent Of the secretary's office only
$4,000 ever found its way into the
state treasury.
What the grand jury has found al
ready, no doubt will strengthen the
insistence of the majority in the leg
islature on a complete, new deal in
the state highway department and the
entire removal of the political influ-
ences which so ruinously control it..
The present legislature may not be