Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-12-14
PRESS COMMENTS.
As to Teachers Certificates.

We see NO good reason for requiring
teachers, holding irst-class certificates,
to appear annually before the board of
education fer examination. In the first
place, the standard for teachers should be
high, and the certificates Of the tirst-cass
should be for, at least, three years. Such
change in the law would be an incentive
to teachers to excel and secure frst-class
grade. The present system of annual ex-
aminations is annoying to the teacher,
the superintendent and the board of ex-
aminers, ana is expensive to the counties
Roswell Record.
~.
That DOna Ana Affair.
The condition of political affairs in
Dona Ana county, which was shown in
the late election there, is the natural out
growth Of the long, dsgraceful rule of the
notorious Las Cruces ring, that infamous
offshoot of the still viler Santa Fe ring.
The long era of terrorism, corruption and
abuse carried on under the old Rep1b-
lican "colonels" could not be expected to
be reformed in two years of Democratic
government, and the natural results were
shown in the Wholesale bribery in the
county at large and attempted ballot boz
stealing in the Dona Ana precinct, to
which the Republicans there, with their
old-time habits, unblushingy resorted.
These attempts nearly resulted in riot
and bloodshed. Parties of armed men
under the Republican sheriff attempted
to coerca the board of county commits
sicners into refusing to count valid Demo-
cratic votes and to force the count OF il
legal Republican votes. The cool-headed
and determined action of Judge Fall,
backed by few manly Democrats,
alone prevented political crime which
would Immediately have been fol-
lowed by bloody battle. Among these
few patriotic men who upheld the law
and prevented bloodshed was our city
marshal, G. l.. Cantley, who is also
deputy U. s. marshal. Mr.. Cantley was
in Las Cruces at the time and was one of
the men authorized by Judge Fall, and
accepted by Sheriff Lohman, to remain
as guard to the county commissioners
anu maintain the peace. Mr.. Cantley, as
q citizen and bravo man, determined to
see law and freedom of election upheld
did what every independent, brave Amer
lean would have done in his place; in do
ing it, however, he riskel his commits
sion as deputy U. s. marhsal. His &C.
tion assisted in enabling the county COM
missioners to make an uncoerced count
of the ballots, but it has resulted In the
allowing letter:
EDWARD L. HALL, U. =. Marshal,
District of New Mexico.
Socorro, N. NJ, Dec. 6, 1894.
Mr.. G. L. Cantley, Silver City, N. M.
Dear Sir:-On receipt of this letter You
will please send me your commission as
deputy U. 8. marshal. Your commission
is hereby annulled for being at Las
Cruces rs deputy U. s. marshal without
authority of law.
Yours respectfully,
Il. L. HALL, q. 8. Marshal.
Marshal Hall may have been forced by
his official position to take this action, as
Mr.. Cantley was not only citizen, but
one of his deputies; but every independ-
ent-minded citizen will hold that the loss
of bis commission flor such cause) is
mark of honor to Mr.. Csntley instead of
rebuke.-Silver City Sentinel.