Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-07-25
DOESN'T LIKE COLORADO.
A Former Resident Of albuquerque
Writes Entertaining Letter.
COLoAAOOANS PROUD OF THEIR STATE.

! The winds did sing to me; and the
thunder.
That deep and dreadful organ pipe.
pronounced
The-'Wonders of Colorado. Shakes.
peare.
For the last ten or fifteen years I
have frequently read in all sorts OF
newspapers and magazines, bewilder-
Ing and allur,ng accounts OF the golden
glories of the Colorado sunshine.
Perhaps II may make a got a impress
sion on half sick mortal coming here
from the midst OF genuine New Eng
land winter. or from the depressing
influence Of an unusually hot southern
summer; but to the healthy person.
who las been thoroughly permeated
for years by the peaceful sunshine Of
New Mexico, the Colorado climate
proves a disappointing humbug
Do not for a moment think that my
testimony will be verified by the Col.
oradoans. On the contrary they will
tell you that this Is the only state, and
the only sunshine, and the only eli.
mate there Is In the country. and they
really believe II too poor things, who
never lived in New Mexico.
When first came here used to
think they meant to insult me. as a
tenderfoot. when the sun showing a
few pale, watery beams, some smiling
resident would unctiously inquire:
Isn't this sunshine glorious?" And I,
half frozen. Indignantly answered:
Huh! II you want 10 see sunshine that
Is sunshine and all the year around
go to New Mexico" until I learned
that they thought me an outrageous
liar or At only for home among the
feeble minded. Since then I meet all
such questions with proud and misan.
thropic silence.
And yet the people mean well; and
the only way can account for their
climatic decisions Is that there must
be a mlcrobr mat fastens upon them
when they come here debilitated from
the dark and forbldding skies of the
east; and that this mcrobe paralyzes
powers OF observation. How else
could they proudly go about. Dragging
OF their climate. with freezing ears
and frosty noses: snow billiards. all
day the Sd OF July, and newly made ice
on the Fourth?
You. who live beneath the smiling
skies of New Mexico know that a eli
mate with conditions so grievious Is
nothing to boast OF. and you would
never even submit to such weather
without the most vigorous protests.
You would not try to convince a poor
homesick wanderer that hail stones
were sunbeams unless you wanted her
to believe you n flt candidate for the
hospital at Las Vegas.
But the Coloradoans' strange salts
faction with his climate Is not all that
surprises the unacclimated New Mexi-
can. The labor conditions here are
something marvellous to one who is
not accustomed to organized labor.
Unionism exists here In its most vir-
uient form. An employer has only to
look cross eyed at one OF his workmen
that man promptly reports to his fell
low laborers and a strike Is ordered.
Union after union Is called out, until
the business OF thousands is paraiyzed
and all perhaps because the poor EN-.
ployer may have had political scrap
with his wife at the breakfast table,
and. man fashion. could not appear as
sunny as usual. until he had forgotten
the domestic riot.
Women also strike, not only In busi-
ness. but out from the home. The
housewife who once was contented
with the sweet domestic duties,
launches out into politics. She helps
to tow the ship of state" through vile
waters, while the little flock that Prov.
idence gave her. acquires street edu.
cation.
fall heard one bright eyed boy OF Is
pleading with his mother to stay at
home one evening with her family:
"iust this one evening, mammal" he
said.
"Oh, these devilish young ones!"
was her answer. al she swept down
the stairs and went to her political
meetings. i KIM % WOnuefeu III the
day might not come when she. too.
would vainly plead for her son. or
daughter. or husband to stay at home
zone evening"
Another peculiar custom here Is that
no member OF the building trades Is al
lowed to work Saturday afternoons.
Sickness. death, weddings. business.
no matter what II NAV be that Is
crowding the owner for an early pos
session OF his building. any member
Of these unions working Saturday az
ternoon ia heavily fined.
He can commit a murder or two. or
any little thing like that. for amuse-
ment or profit without much punish
ment. and with but little excitement.
but he absolutely must not work Sat.
urday afternoons. even II his children
are starving.
II does seem strange TO me that 30
much excitement Ia made over politics
i and labor trOuhlaa In neuy0r while