Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1906-08-27

Editor Deming Graphic:
My Dear Sir;
] take my pen in hand
TO drop you a few lines, and l want you
to answer me q few questions, being as
you seem to have a mind Of your own
and are not afraid to talk out in public.
First Of all, | want you to answer me,
who are the best people in this country?
There seems 10 be only two classes of
people in this part Of the country. One
class calls itself Old Timer, and this
class calls the other fellows Tender
foot. Now sir, ! am an old-timer, and
! am not proud Of it, no, not by a jug
full: | always have been proud of it
until lately when | began to look over
the old-timers, including myself among
the rest, and ask myself, who are we:
what have we done, and what do we
amount to any how? The very best
answer can give to these questions
forces me to confess, that am not
proud Of the fact that I am an old
timer, and don't see what any other
old.timer has got to feel proud Of. ! am
ashamed Of the fact that am an old.
timer, and may also admit right here
that this Is the very first sense Of shame
ever felt in all my life: shame is a
novel sensation 70 me,
was in California in 1850, soon after
the gold excitement began, but ! never
did own a mine and never took chance
on doing days work in one. ! got a
little money in the course of time, and
tonk advantage Of the necessities of
other fellows by lending them money
at from fifty to seventy FIVE per cent.
Finally drifted to Arizona, and then
to New Mexico. got to Deming just
in time to engage in the fight Of some
old.timers against the railroads, and
help rum the town. l have a little
money, and intend to keep it, and
take it with me after die, into the
next world; but at least nine hundred
and ninety nine per cent of all the rest
of the old timers are nearly as poor as
JOBS turkey, and a very large per cent
age Of the Old-timers who have got any
thing so far Is can see, have got it
just like l got mine, by the parasite
process: they never have done much
for the country nor the town, and they
fully expect to take their money with
them into the next world. Money
gives a man prominence, don't you
know. The old-timers who have saved
any thing are satisfied with the present
conditions Of Deming and the surround
ing country. and we don't want sny
new comerR. Don't you know that
these COMPOUNDED new comers are liable
10 see the possibilities in this country,
and they are liable TO 20 into business
and try to do something, and bring q
lot Of rich people into this country; fel'
lows who have got money to develOT
the necessary water and make q farm
ing country out Of this, and all Of VI
old-timers will have sharp composition
and then, farewell, a long farewell
to all my Rreatnessl" Then nobody
will call me Mister any more, and the
dogs won't even bark at me as l halt
by them in the streets. The prosperity
Of this town won't hurt me as much ~
it viii some VI the balance Of them.
have one hundred and sixty acres neal
the town, and have never paid any
taxes on It, and never have tried Il
make blade Of grass grow on 1t, buI
IL the new eomers make a farming
country out Of this will sell It TO on
Of them for big price. have had
little home in Deming all these year
too, but | never have planted q vine
nor q Rg tree: don't want any shade
trees nor pretty plazas because Othe
people are sure to get the benefit o