The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-04-22
WHO Is TO RLAME7

WHO is TO RLAME7
Ex-Governor HageEman is under
a very deep obligation to h Ros-
well Record and the Albuquerque
Journal for their loyal support. They
were of great assistance-in caus-
ing his ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ar
gus.
The h~undred-eyed guardian of
the blind cave dwellers having spok-
en-, of course it would be useless to
deny that it was the foo friends of
the Governor who were to blame for
his retirement,-and not his all-wise
enemies, nor he great square deal
err at Washington, who makes Ben
Tillman his leader one day and the
next bows down to Hartman
The Albuquerque Journal may
speak for itself. The Record is a Dem
ocratic paper, and not particularly
interested il the fate of the Republi-
can party as a mere office-holdi1g and
pie-distributing organization. h
question of honest administration OF
public affairs, however, is a plain
business problem. The same principles
that apply in the management of pri-
waite business should be applied in
the transaction of public business
even to the extent of promoting only
such subordiaates as have proven
themselves faithful to the duties aid
responsibilities with which they are
entrusted. The interests of the tax
payers always should be considered
before the ambitions of mere place
hunters and ta~x-eaters-
1t was a settled fact that II any
immediate improvement in the gov
eminent of New Mexico were to be
secured it must come through the
Republican executive, aid the Record
felt and still feels that it was the du-
ty of the press and the people, regard
less of party, to support the Governor
in his efforts to give the Territory a
clean business administration. Accord
ingly we have upheld the Governor,
even when the papers of his own
party deserted him and flew to de-
tense of the old system of graft and
corruption, which one Republicans
as well as Democrats wished to have
abolished.
The Governor, of course made mis-
takes-but in the main all his efforts
were directed toward the attainment
of good government. When the "prac-
teal politicians" sneered at the ideal
list in politics." we thought of the
nan who wrote the Declaration of
Independence, and remembered that
the highest ideals in Jefferson's case
at least were not inconsistent with
worldly wisdom. Perhaps Mr.. Hag-
erman's ideals are too high for the
New Mexico brand of politics,-but
that is the fault of the system, and
the class Of men who heretofore have
controlled the government of the
Territory. 1t is easy to counsel pa
thence and caution-but Governor Ha-
german came into Office at a time
when the patience of b people was
Well-nfgh exhausted, n with in
structiOns from the President of the
United States to show 40 mercy to
the old gang of grafters. Simple hon
esty was a revolutionary proposition
under the conditions which confronted
him. He found the bosses of the Re
publican party banded together il a
wholesale scheme of plumber in which
offices and votes were bought and
sold, and the rewards of political pre-
erme were privileges of pilfering
the public treasury. He could scarce
ly gain access to the records OF MS
own office without a Highland had
to make way for a new Attorney Cen
eral before he could gain the slight
est information in regard to the con-
duct of other offices. In Attorney
General Reid he secured a man OF
practical experience and persistency
that contributed in a large measure
to carrying out the designs OF the
Governor. Tae axe mad to be used
right and left-and the Governor and
the Attorney Genera had to fight ev-
cry inch of the way. In the leg1sla-
tive session they won a victory that
would be remarkable ever without
considering the odds against which
they fought. The greatest victory OF
all is in finally arousing the people
of tae Territory to a realizing sense
of the responsibility that rests upon
the voters in choosing proper men
to faish the work of reform so sue
cessfully initiated. IN this work OF
awakening the people, the Record
modestly claims a share, gives the
albuquerque Journal credit for a
much greater accomplishment, and
does not forget the Santa Fe Eagle,
every Democratic weekly paper in
the Territory. and a few Republican
papers that have been faithful to the
of good government.
No doubt the Argus is correct in
the assertion that the Record n the
Journal are in some degree RESPONSE
BILE for the retirement of the Cover
it now develops that the
famed courage" OF President Roose-
welt Is mainly blur and bluster, with
out moral OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
to win votes, n repudiated
on occasion by simply calling the
other fellow a liar. He had promised