Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-07-04
PERTINENT CRITICISM.
Cleveland Did Not Observe Home
Rule In Territory,
HIS JUDGES WERE CARPET BAGGeRe
Editor OF The Citizen

Editor OF The Citizen.
In last nights issue you say that
Mr.. G.. Cleveland Is the only president
who has lived up to platform pledges
in appointing citizens Of this territory
to the federal Offices 1nis statement
L. undoubtedly provoked by the recent
appointment OF Mr.. Smith Of Michi.
gan To a iudgeship in New Mexico. but
seems TO Indicate some lapse OF mem.
ory on your part.
Let us recall what Mr.. Clevelan did
as to judicial appointments In New
Mexico during his two terms.
When he first became president n
1885 there were three judicial dis.
tricts In New Mexico. In the First
district. Samuel Il. Axtell was Judge.
and Mr. G.. Cleveland forced him to re-.
sign to avoid threatened summary and
unjustiriable removal In his place
the president appointed William 4.
. Vincent. a bone fide resident OF the
territory. but In a few months realiz.
ing his mistake in having appointed
a New Mexican. he arbitrarily and
wrongfully threw Vincent out, and ap-
I pointed a man from Indiana
/ For the Second district, ne appoint
] u l.
coming too active and prominent in
/ public affairs 90 please a democratic
! senator, who thought his contemplated
lifegrip on a 7eat In the upper branch
OF congress was possibly endangered.
| For the Third district. there was APP
/ pointed an able man from arkansas. a
/ personal friend of the attorney gen.
eral, whose ability was only surpassed
/ by the bad reputation which he soon
acquired among the people OF the Me-
| silla valley.
/ During this administration, an addi.
/ tional district was created and the
/ president appointed a good old man
from Texas, than whom no better or
more honest man ever held Office in
! New Mexico.
This is not very good record OF ap-
pointments OF residents OF New MeXi.
CO.
In his second term he certainly did
much better on the residence qualitica-
tions. Whether he made good court
or not can well be left to you. Mr.. Ed.
itor, who had some personal expert
ence with II. II never should be for
gotten that its action toward you was
OF the most high-handed, lawless and
arbitrary character.
Under this administration we had
one Judge from Virginia. and four from
the territory. The result might well
make many OF us doubtful of the poll
cy OF appointing our own people to
judicial Office, were 1t not for our be
lief that no other president could make
such bad selections.
Ii your brief editorial was intended
f,t. - ~
can party in the matter OF recent Judi.
cial appointments. II must be admitted
il is well founded. When President
Mckinley cam into office he had I'VE
judges to appoint for New Mexico. OF
these, two OF whom he appointed were
residents OF the territory. Another
had been at one time a resident among
u.s. but had been absent for years. A
life long democrat, In 1896 he left the
b dominant wing OF his party. and was
an active gold democrat in Connects
/ cut OF the two Others one had helped
tC elect a senator in Indiana. and the
ether had elected senator In Ohio
When the Ohio man was forced TO re-
/ sign on account of III health. his
, health never having permitted him "a
discharge the duties of his office, he
WAS succeeded Dy gentleman "
. pleasing personality from western
: New York. who knew but little law
y hut who had strong political backing
When the Indiana creator of a sena
tor failed of rsappoihtment he was sue
u ceeded by strong and able man VIII,
z had made senator from Nebraska
n and now We have the appointment of !
friend of Michigan senator and VI
will probably soon learn that he also
has been a factor in senatorial cleo
tons
u This sort of thing Is the natural con
y sequence of our territorial conditions
4 Offices in the territories are looked OF
, as senatorial property TO be used II
payment OF political obligations, AM
il is seldom the case that lawyers VIII,
n are active as politicians are Well htte,
Tor judicial labors.
. We are compelled to admit that GU
n rarity has done badly in this direction
e and II We criticize II for this directly
!. no one can say you nay! but every re
. publican ought vigorously 10 pretes
= against your praising the fatheaded @
J. Cleveland. who never ha' known any
d thing OF the west. and has but little q
r no regard for anything west OF Man
!, haitian island When he left the presi
u dency he wouli not go hack 20 plac'
e as far west as Buffalo, which had beef
his home and beyond which, up TO tina
time. his acquaintance with this cour
4 try had never extended,