Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-04-12
NEWS FROM LAS VEGAS
City Politics Inside Items of the Last
City ElectiOn-The Political Game
As 1t is and Is to Be Played in
Las Vegas and San Miguel.
A Correspondent Who Knows What
He Is Talking About.

He Is Talking About.
Special Correspondence of New Mexican.
Las Vegas, N. NJ, April 10.-The course
of the Optic in keeping alive the ques-
tions which were passed upon last No
vember is causing some considerable re-
mark here. Its editorials would lead peo-
pie to believe that the issues fought out
in the city mpaign we're whether the
United States should have free coinage at
a ratio of 16 to /, or that the defeat of
Billie Bryan was public calamity. The
editor of The Optic is to be congratu-
lated on finding food for thought on these
great sub jects in the defeat of Mr.. Spor-
leder and the election of DR.. Olney to the
Office of mayor. Mr.. Sporleder was as
pronounced in his silver views as was DR..
Olney and both voted for Ferguson and
neither participated in anyway with the
Republican party in the November cam
paign. The Optic must needs be hard up
pear that free silver caused Mr.. Spor-
leder's defeat. The truth is the leaders of
the Republican party in this city were not
disposed to fight DR.. Olney in his desire
for reelection and would not have done
30 had there not been patent attempt
on the part of his followers to disrupt
the Republican party organization. The
loss of party organization of the true
blue stripe is more disastrous than the
loss of an election covering city issues.
The mayors Office here has been we'll
filled by DR.. Olney, and while he is not
personally popular, everybody recog-
nized that he was entitled to re. election
if he so desired and solely on account of
his stewardship of the Office. DR.. Olney
has been a first-class official and he got
many votes which otherwise would have
gone to Mr.. Sporleder and simply be-
cause it was believed that he would con-
tinue to give four fifths of his time in the
looking after the peoples business with
out pay.
The Republican party here should have
no fight with DR.. Olney; he has been at
least consistent; he never participated in
the primaries last fall and was an out and
out Bryan man from start to finish. The
Republican party has fight, however,
with those misguided followers after the
free silver Nemesis who are trying to
hang on to the party coat tail and yet do
ing all they can to disrupt it's organiza.
tion. tt may be pretty trying for them
to say farewell to the party which has
been theirs for the past 80 years but there
is no straddling, for the issues have been
made and the battle won. They are
of several would indicate that they be-
long TO the last named breed.
To man occupying lofty position
in a neighboring tree top, it would seem
that the Mr.. Felix Martinez has had a
hand in this little game as declared in the
Optic. He wants to keep alive the inter-
necine fight knowing that only he can
profit by it when the real elections come
around two years hence. The Republi-
can party is the only party which has an
organization in every precinct in San
Miguel county and this organization is
what Don Felix fears or at least would
like to destroy, and there was an indi.
vidual Of very dark complexion con-
cealed in the political woodpile when the
Forsythe resolution was introduced at
the meeting of the city Republican com.
mittee. If q politician wants to keep
cases on Felix, it behooves him to watch
the whole play during every one of the
365 days and nights in the year, PARTON
larly the nights. Don Felix IS what may
be termed in modern slang 50 very warm
political baby;" he is a "sure thing" no
matter which way the Cyclone comes
from. The writer has heard him declare
in the legislative council of this territory
that he was not Democrat and yet the
members of the Democratic party would
lick the hands that smote them; the
writer has heard him abuse the people of
East Las Vegas in way that ought to
bring shame to their faces, and yet DUR
ing the last fall campaign, the heretofore
leaders of Demo racy fell down and wor-
shipped this political Pooh Bah and why
There is but one solution. They fear
him and fear commands respect, par
ticularly in New Mexico politics. Felix
can out hold and outplay any politician
in the Democratic party and these alleged
Dem ocrstic leaders in the new town of
Las Vegas know II. When Felix needs q
card to fill up his hand he goes and gets
1t even if he has to 60 into the Republic
car discard to obtain it and Oftentimes
this is not necessary, as he calls for IL
from the Republican dealer and gets the
card Just the same. The game of poll.
tics in San Miguel county lie worthy of
close political study. The more stten.
ton you give to the matter, the less you
know about It.
Don Felix was little "shy" OF strength
during the last legislature but what did
that matterf Not whit TO the elegant
Felix. He Immediately adjusted himself
to conditions and claimed everything
that was good as enanatipg from himself
and jumped right IN and participated .of
the pie to his hearts content. Felix is q
great adjuster. He ought to be an agent
or adjuster for fire insurance com pany.
You can. rest assured that the settlement
would be only one way.
Why 10 IL that the Democratic leaders
fear himi Every Democrat of conss.
quence In new town has large property
interest at stake or he ia q lawyer repre-