The times., 1901-06-11
A GOVERNORSHIP QUESTION.
The Conditions in New Mexico Des-
crIbed by an Aspirnnt.

cribed by an Aspirant.
Should the governorship OF New Mexi- |
CO slip through the fingers of the present
incumbent, it is not likely to go begging
for lack of cIsimants. Many have been
named for the honor. and there are many
with influence. but the most likely candi-
date is c. II. Elmendorf Between him
and Governor Otero there is a friendly |
rivalry, and, while there is no active fight
| ing between the supporters of the two. it |
| is generally understood that should Gov
ernor Otero find it impossible to obtain
| reappointment, he would look to Mr.. Elm
| endorf as the man he would care most to
have succeed him.
Mr.. Elmendorf Is now at the Arlington
Hotel. He is one of New MeXico's largest
cattlemen and is with the American Val
ley Company. which operates in a num-
Der of places, having large sheep ranch
es. He was interviewed .ast night by a
| Times reporter
THE question of Governor to New
| Mexico is chiefly matter of business and
| finance, he said. The welfare OF the
| Territory depends largely upon what con-
ditions shall be made to prevail there
within the next few years, from a busi-
ness point of view, and the business point
| of view includes financial and neral
point of view.
There is a great deal said about New
! Mexico being made a State, and there is
a large party within the Territory in
favor of it. Judging from my point of
view, the whole agitation IS premature.
| There is nothing there yet upon which
| the Government of State could be
founded. First of all the Territory of New
Mexico should see itself upon sound
| financial basis, and until it is able to look
laII pbif n
| out more than square, there ought TO Dc
| but little said about entering the Union
| There are great many people VINO favor
| such move, but they are the poitl-
| clans, who are to be helped by 1t, and not
| the business men.
The Territory of New Mexico is al
most deEoured with taxes, the legacy OF
| spendthrift government. There IS, L
! can avow, scarcely any district IN the
| United States that bears such heavy
! burden Of taxation as Santa re county
| The taxes there this year viii be about
| II per cent, and it is no wonder that peo-
pie will not buy any land there or enter
! the county for business. Inc other
| counties Of the Territory are In similar
situation. and the heavy levies, OF course,
| act as a great deterrent to business en-
terprises. The great hope OF the IerTi-
torv's developrnent of course, lies in the
| money that can be brought IN py capltdl-
/ lists from the East. Facing TINS kIhd OF
| 3 situation it seems quite foollsh TO think
/ Of statehood. People are anxious for II,
! but whether they are prepared for 1t or
| not is a matter which requires mucn CON
Not only in financial way. but in a
! MORAL Way, the Territory must be straight
[ ened out New Mexico is more than
! thirty years behind the times. II IS even
slower than Mexico, and all the old politi-
{ cal abuses are still prevalent there. Edu-
cation is at a low ebb. and New Mexico
would be benefited more by schools
J than by anything else The population
/ being partly Spanish and partly half-
/ breeds-coyotes' as we call them, is prac-
| tically down in the dregs OF ignorance;
There is no Austria ian ballot system, ana
! the voters are sin ply herded into the
| polls | have seen a boss bring in q halt
( hundred poems. put them in yard and
! close the gate after them. When the
morning zane he simply gave them their
! tickets and drove them to the ballot
.;Tbe salvation of New Mexico. it seems
TO me. lies in getting 1t Americanized. 1t
| is haIf-breed now, and leaders, finding
they can hold their power by handling
the coyotes. have counted out the re-
spectacle American in their pOiItlcaI car
culatfuus. The present Governor IS
backed by the half-breeds, and his chie1
opponent. T. 3. Catriu, has chiefly me
I descendants Of the old Spanish dons as
his supp0rters What is needed is some
one to WELD the respectable white vote;
which is growing more and more poWerIul
every day. If the white men can De put
into power there will be an improvement
in both the finances and the morals OF the
{ Territory 1t would not take more than
F administration u Lilt rt'' = i-44iN-'-
for the four years by good strong man
well uu in the requirements OF the Sltua-
ton to put New Mexico on basis Where
She could justly ask for statehood
in the present administration there
have of course been things that are
omen to criticism. ! am sure the detrac-
tors of Governor OterO have oVerreached
themselves bur one can never be qulie
/ sure that where there is smoke there Is
not fire. II even a small number OF tne
things said about him are true, ne mas
done some quite unwise things during
the last Legislature he had bill passed
allowing him to have 5000 year add
I tional 10 his salary instead OF 500 for con-
tfugent expenses. When 1t was suggested
I that he turn in vouchers for THIS extra
money he replied that such proposition
was a reflection upon the dignity of his
/ Office and he turns in no vouchers.
+ Among the people of New Mexico tnat
! was considered quite an unWiSe move
Recently he has declared that II ne
/ is reappOinted he will organize state
hood committee and put at the head OF II
a Gold Democrat. statement Wnich Is
/ likely 10 hurt him great deal among
the Republicans at home. on the question
I Of whether the refIndinS OF the deDt.
done under his direction. has increased
or diminished the burden of taxation,
there can be some difference of opinion,
and the question can be setter only when
the books are examined. But the state
ment of his detractors that there was
something in the deal for him seems al
most too preposterOus to be true some
of his appointCes, who are reported 10 be
using their Offices Tor their own financial
: advantage. are unfortunate selections.
New Mexico to become State must
first be prepared for il, and that means
/ that she must be AmericauiZed and put
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