Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-01-13
Believes Bursun Pledged to
Support Joint Statehood.
OTHERWISE THE APPOINTMENTS
WERE PRESIDENTIAL STUPIDITY
Jurist From the Pecos Arraigns Re-
publican Leaders for Their
VacciIating Policy,

Judge A. A. Freeman of Carlsbad.
has favored the Morning Journal with
! the following copy of letter to
| Chairman II. O. Bursum, of the ter
! ritorial republican central committee:
! Nom Partisan Joint Statehood League
Office of the Chairman, Carlsbad,
| New Mexico, Jam s, 1906.
! Ny Dear Bursum:-I am just In
receipt of the New Mexican containing
your interview, which | presume l am
to treat as a reply to an open letter
addressed to you sometime ago.
| regret that my letter to you did
not accomplish the desired purpose, I,
| to-wit, of aiding in bringing us to-
| gether, for a long pull, a strong pull
| and a pull altogether" i'm support of
the presidents policy of joint state
/ hood.
You say that "as far as any barter
or trade having been made this
is absolutely without foundation in
fact" ! have not the least doubt of
the truth of this statement. Presi-
dents are not in the habit of barter
ing" offices, or trading" commissions
for support. What they are In the
habit of doing, however, is to ap-
point to important positions men who
on account of past actions or present
assurances they believe will support
their administration.
Let me give a few Illustrations
President Cleveland, a lifelong DEM
ocrat, appointed General Gresham, a
| life-long republican, to the position of
premier i'm his cabinet that is secre-
tary of state, and yet | never heard
l,a g Ioft
a barter And, again. President
Mckinley appointed Hon. w. j. Mills
chief justice of this territory Up TO
that time Judge Mills had never voted
a republican ticket, and since that
time he has voted nothing else. and
vet never heard anyone even suggest
that the appointment was the outcome
of trade" or barter" The pres
ident became satisfied that If Judge
Mills accepted a commission under a
republican administration, he would
Loyalty support that administration.
And, again, take the case of our own
Judge Pope: he never voted republi-
can ticket until his appointment by a
republican president; and yet Judge
Pope Is just as capable as the presi-
dent himself of "barterlng" or trad
ing"
Maintains His Statement.
The truth is. these terms ought
never to be used In connection with
the president of the United States.
Now then, as to the real point in is
sue. In my letter to YOU | said in ef-
feet that the delegation i'm Washington
had given the president assurances
that If he would not disturb the organ
izatlon in New Mexico by appointing
successors to the present officers, the
M obi I. Il. A
into line in the support of his admin
istration.
Now, is this statement substantially
correct, or was it, as you say, abso-
lutely without foundation in fact?
| say that I'm substance and IN effect
my statement was correct, and If there
Is any science or logic or truth i'm men.
intend to maintain 1t.
You say that "the president Is hear
tily In favor of Joint statehood" You
will admit. OF course, that the corps
of officers whom he reappointcd were
up TO the date Of their reappointment
heartily against joint statehood. "
Now then, If the president with a full
knowledge of this fact. and without
any assurance or intimation. direct or
Indirect, given by the parties them
selves or their agents at Washington.
that they would support his policy:
but with the understanding that they
would be at perfect liberty to contin-
ue their opposition to his favorite
measure, reappointed them for tho
third term to positions which would
make their opposition absolutely fatal
to his policy, he was guilty of the
greatest piece of stupidity that ever
characterized nm administration. |
aver that President Roosevelt Is not n
stupid man; on the contrary. he is one
Of the brightest men of the age.
! Therefore, / say that he did not make
these appointments without some as
surances that the gentlemen whom he
honored with his commissions would
redeem the assurances given for them.
! and give his administration a loyal
support
Reduced TO Logic.
To state the matter logically:
If the president being earnestly In
favor Of joint statehood as you say
and as / know he is. filed the federal
offices I'm this territory with men
! whom he knew TO be bitterly opposed
to this policy. but with the under
standing that they were perfectly free
to keen up their fight on him: then
the president Is a very weak man. The
president Is not weak man. there's
!; fore the president did not appoint
these men with the UNDERSTANDING
that they were free to keep up their
war on him.
Is this proposition sound, or un-
sound?
But I do not propose to rest this
statement alone on the logic of the
situation, although sufficient in itself
to sustain It.
Before proceeding however. with
what 7 am about 10 say. let me correct
one of your statements wherein am
represented as saying that this under
standing was reached i'm an interview
between the president on tho one hand
and yourself and Mr.. Luna on the
other. If YOU will refer again TO my
letter you will ascertain that did
not use your name or that of MIR.
Luna | was not present az the inter-
view or interviews between yourself
Continued on Page !, Col. ~