Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-25

Santa Fe, n. M. Jan. "a /
The followers of II. O. Bursum anl
the men allied with him i'm the legis-
latiVe campaign, failed dismally this
afternoon in their first attempt tC
railroad through the house the bill
which provides for the appointment OF
the district attorneys by the legisla-
ture for the coming two years and
taking that power away from the gov
ernor and presumably providing foI
the election Of the prosecutors after
1908. The friends of the measure
failed to command the two-thirds vote
necessary to take the bill out of its
regular order, and while they We're
working desperately in an effort to
secure a reconsideration of the vote,
the men who object to the railroading
of legislation secured an adjournment
of the house by a considerable ma
iority
The attempt to railroad through the
district attorney bill was one of the
most high handed attempts at legisla-
tive smuggling ever witnessed in a
New Mexico legislature, which is say
ing a good deal The bill was not
even read once for information Its
title was merely read single time
and not one-half of the twenty-four
members of the house knew the con-
tents of the bill although most of
them were thoroughly familiar with
its purpose.
This measure has been explained
before, but it is worth explaining
again for it is bill, which, if en-
acted into law will probably become
very firmly fixed in the minds of the
people The district attorneys in New
Mexico are now appointed by the
governor. There has been no general
popular demand for the election OF
these officials. and in fact ne demand
at all for their election. The meas
ure is aimed primarily as the first
big move in the campaign to take
away from the governor of New Mex
leo all appointive power not because
il is deemed best to take that power
away from the executive, but because
it is the disere of the promoters OF
the bill to humiliate the governor and
to cripple him in the execution of his
duties This is the first purpose of
the measure.
Allied woth the men who seek this
first purpose, are a number of small
men, one or two of whom are mem
bers of the legislature, who desire jobs
as district attorneys or reappointment
to district attorneyships
These men realize that If the APP
pointive power is left in the hands Of
the governor they will not be APP
pointed or reappointed, and they are |
therefore working with all the might
to secure the passage of this blil |
which would legislate them into office !
for two years to come, for the Dill |
carries the names of the district at |
torncys for each district who. are to |
serve until the next general election (
takes place. It was the original pur !
pose to make the district attorneys |
appointed by the legislature and leave /
out the election clause. but there are
a few men in the legislature who be
lieve on principle in the election of I
district attorneys and it was neces-
sary to show some evidence OF SINGER I
ity to these members in order to gel
their votes for the bill. II can thus be
seen that the bill has great strength !
and that it will be fought fo- to the I
end.
1t gains added strength because of
the opposition of several politicians to 7
District Attorney Clancy of Albuquer-
cue.
There are few politicians in New
Mexico with whom Mr., Clancys meth
ods are not popular and who would I
be glad to bring about his downfall.
OF late. however, his support has be-
come so strong that it is said the pro-
moters of this bill are now willing to
c0ncede the selection of the attorney
to the members from Mr.. Clancy ,
district or to name Mr. CLANCY IN the +
bill This however has not served To
change single vote among those
men who are opposed to the measure
on principle, and who believe that II
will work for the impairment of the
system of criminal prose-
rutiou. These men are not majority
in the legislature, but they are strong /
and they are gaining strength every
day
Measure Not for the Public.
The secrecy maintained in the
framing of this measure and in the
effort to railroad It through has
served to further discredit it, and to-
night members who have not hereto
fore been heard to declare against il,
are expressing themselves as disguised
with the dark lantern methods en-
played i'm the effort to secure its pass
age. The bill was not only not read
In the house at all. but it has been
carefully and most of the
members who have been induced to /,
vote for IT have not had an opportun-
.tv to,study it, while those who voted
against it have never even seen the \
document save as It passed from the
hands of its introducer into the hands I
of the chief clerk After the session,
a request was made by reporter TOT
the Morning Journal 10 Chief Clerk
Frank Stsplin for permission to read
The bill
Permission Was Refused.
S;aphn said that personally. he had
no objection to the bill being seen.
but that he questioned his right 10 y
show a document intrusted TO his
care
This is the first time, even in New \.
Mexico. that a direct request 10 see
a public document has been refused.
Three separate and distinct requests
were made of Staplin for permission .-
70 read this bill and each one he re- F,
fused, explaining always that he was
not sure he had the right 20 show the
bill II was minated TO the chief
clerk that a bill after being intro
luced Is a public document, but he
could not see the matter In that light
So. as the matter stands tonight, not y
even the members Of the house much
less the people know what is i'm this
proposed law. which it will be at
tempted again tomorrow 10 railroad
through the house.
What is the reason for this secrecy,