Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-02-15

l
Las Cruces, n. M, Feb. 14.-Politics
in southern New Mexico cannot be said
to be boiling at the present time, but
1t is simmering, and among the Repub-
licans the simmer has an angry sound,
while the Democrats go around with a
self-satisfied smirk on their faces which
is positively exasperating. The causes
for this condition OF affairs are many.
some of them natural and reasonable,
others difficult to account for and still
others are personal and others caused
by disappointment or dissatisfaction in
the matter of appointments to offices.
Probably the one great cause of en-
couragement to the Democrats In Grant
and Dona Ana counties. is the rapid and
incxplicablc growth and spread of the
free silver sentiment. Men. who one
| year ago were silver men. in the sense
that they thought the product of the
American mines could be taken care of
| by the government, by excluding for
eign silver, even il the ratio had to be
changed, are now strong advocates of
| the free and unlimited coinage at the
ratio of l6 to |. Others who were
staunch gold bugs have so far fallen
from grace that they are occupying a
dangerous middle ground and fast drift
ing into the free silver camp. Particu-
| lary Is this true in the old silver camps.
Mines are idle which once poured wealth
| into the pockets Of the owners and en-
ItN1.x t. ..4 II, :r>f
silver days arc gone with no prospect of
ever returning. "Hope long deferred
maketh the heart sick, and discouraged
men are prone to try questionable ex-
periments in finding IA remedy for real
or imaginary troubles.
Why this growing silver sentiment ex-
lists in this part of the territory is diff
cult to understand. Every business
man admits that last years business
was highly satisfactory and that the
prospects for the present year are more
than encouraging. The Republican
party, in less than year, has, by pro-
lection and the maintenance of the
parity of the circulating mediums,
brought about return of prosperity far
greater than majority of the people
really expected, and as rank Demo-
crat in Deming said few days ago 1.-THE
country is good for three years more OF
good times, high prices for our cattle,
and plenty of money" And yet nine
out OF ten men say: 'sYes, business Is
good, but we want more money; we must
have free silver" and this is invariably
followed by an attack upon the s'gold
bugs" that for foreible language and
choice epthets would put to flight the
average mule engineer. Well, reason
or none for it, the Republicans will be
compelled to face q much larger num-
ber Of silver men in the next campaign
than in the last.
So far as the results of these conditions
upon the Republican party in this dis
trict is concerned, the readers of the
New MEXICAN are at liberty to draw
their own conclusions. and If they con-
clude that fur will fly In the coming
campaign they will not go far wrong.
Already the sound of the grindstone as
it puts q keen edge ON the tomahawk |
and scalping knife fills the political air.
One subject that is receiving consider
able attention is that of delegate. The
general opinion Is that either Hon. Pedro |
Perea or Hon. Sol. Luna will be the
nominee OF the Republicans. As between
them there seems to be no great differ
ence in strength. Either will be
acceptable to the party and will prove
strong among the voters. There is, how
ever, another Richmond in the field who
is gathering about his standards a follow
ing OF no mean proportions and may
prove a favorite in the convention. His
initials In full are, Hon. Thomas A. Fin
ical, OF Albuquerque. That he Is an
ayOwed candidate no one seems to know,
unless 1t is Thomas himself, and so far
he has not told of 1T, but as the tempta-
ton Is great he may fail, which better
men than he have done In the past.
Among the Democrats but very little is
heard except the name of the present
incumbent. And just word to would
be delegates to congress, whether they
be Democrats or Republicans, the name
OF Ferguson In this part of the territory
IS not to be sneezed at. His bills to per-
manently locate the capital at Santa Fe
and TO secure school lands for the terri |
tory have caught on like fire in high
wind. Any Of his Democratic friends
who have bee buzzing in their bonnets
would just as we'll swipe it to death now.
for the Democratic convention will kill it
II they don't. What the outcome of the
election will be--well that is some
months ahead and will form the subject
of another story.
\ Locally, there Is not much stir among
the politicians as vet. County candi-
dates are yet In the woods waiting for
fhn trone tO no chaEau huf that cho ko