Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-06-17
GOVERNOR oTERo's ADMiNisTRA'
TON.
(From the New Mexican.

(From the New M~exican.)
The territorial administration dur
Ing the last eight years has been hon
est. efficient and careful OF the best
interests OF the people. The princi
pal aim OF Governor Otero has been Ia
i'd In every possible way the progress
and advancement Of the moral. bust
ness and political conditions In the
Sunshine Territory" and their COZ
slant and steady Improvement can
Justly. and properly be ascribed to the
executive ability. honesty OF purpose
knowledge OF territorial affairs and
steadfast purpose to do what Is righI
on the part OF the governor.
In appointments Governor Otero has
been unusually felicitous, especially
for a Governor of New Mexico, who
always finds this task very difficult,
Territorial and county officials ap
pointed by him have been selected
from the best men O%btainable and,
while he has had many such to make
there have been but very few who
have not proven worthy and well fitted
for the positions OF honor and trust tc
which they were appointed.
It Is a remarkable fact and one
! pleasant to relate In the editorial col
| umns of a Republican newspaper that
the Republican party today Is strong
! or, or better organized and more pow
, erful than It's has been since It's name
first became known In this territory
Since the party's organization here
there have been factions In It and this
especially has been the case during
the past thirty years. The Legisla'
! tive Assemblies elected since June ID
1897, have been overwhelmingly Re
| publican and Republican administra
lions In most of the counties have
been the rule. Since that time also
Republican delegates to Congress
have been elected by increased hen'
NAL majorities and even In the 1904
election, although an Independent Re
publican candidate was In the field,
the regular Republican nominee re-
ceived more than double the majority
ever received by and Republican can
didate for that office with the excep
ton Of the phenomenal election In
1902.
A great deal Of credit for this salts
factory political state OF affairs Is
justly due Governor OterO and his ad'
, ministration. especially when 1t Is no
ticed that, Of every other Governor OF
New Mexico. he has had factions and
| contentious In his own party In add
ton to the opposition of the regular
Democratic organization and its can
didates. Right here, 1t Is we'll to say
that he has had less trouble and less
strife in his own party than any gov
ernor, Republican Or Democrat, during
the past thirty years. Governor Axtell,
a Republican. was bitterly opposed by
part of his party and was compelled
to resign owing to this very strife.
Governor Wallace during his entire
term had a strong faction Of the Re-
publican party against him; Governor
Sheldon had to meet the opposition of
a large part OF the Republican party
while In the executive chair: the
Democratic governor, Ross, was fought
by a faction in MS party with such
bitterness that his administration was
a failure; Cove, 0 Prince at no Tina
during his four years service had a
peaceful administration and was con
stantly annoyed by a Republican fac
ton; Governor Thornton, the Demo
cratic governor. whom Governor Otero
succeeded, could not unite his party
and had considerable trouble with its
leaders. Governor Otero has man.
aged more successfully than any other
governor to overcome these internal
party differences and to make his ad.
ministration beneficial and whole
some to the people and to strengthen
the Republican party to such an ex-
tent and to such a degree that, as said
above, the party stands better and
today with the people than 1t
ever stood In Its history.
To use a homely phrase The proof
Of the pudding is in the eating" and
the people Of New Mexico by a very
large majority know by personal ex-
p%erience for the eight years last past
the Otero administration has
been a singular success, considering
the difficulties. the impediments and
The opposition which have existed In
New Mexico for many years; the
territory has advanced to a wonder
ful degree and progress In every d.
has been great and remark
ably gratifying. This Is especially no
with the influx OF capital.
The number OF banks today. national
and private, Is treble what II was in
1897. Capital does not go to a COM
where 1t Is not safe and
where there Is a corrupt or dishonest
administration. This incident will
show that capitalists, generally very |
imid, are sure that property rights
will be properly protected by the pre-
tent administration and that invest !