The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-03-08
The Letter.

Editor Register-Tribune:
| la rea with much interest in
the last issue of the Register-Tribune
your editorial called THE Need of
Getting Together"
You assume that the present CON
test in Santa Fee is the result of the
s~quabbles of two factions" in the
Legislative Assembly. So far as one
can judge from your editorial it might
be inferred that in you opinion n
faction is abOu as good or as bad as
the other, and that both sides ought
10 give and take, and in that way ar
rive at a compromise" such as an
honest man might put his name to
without shame. But what are the
facts?
The differences between the con-
tending factions are as clear cut as
the following would be. The Governor
and those who support MIN believe
and contend that twice two is four.
Those who oppose him contend that
twice two is five. You would have
them compromise on some such
basis as that twice two is four and
a half.
What have the Governor and his
faithful supporters commended for from
the first? Honesty in public affairs;
faithful service from all the public
servants; publicity; no back door
tricks in favor of the few; economical
use of public money, n proper ac-
counting for the anne in a way tax
payers can understand; the laws to
be enforced without fear or favor; a
better system of taxation, better
schools, and generally a radical de-
parture from the methods of the old
gang of grafters and place hunters
who disgrace the name of Republi-
can, and whom you have often de-
nounced as sharply as any man in
New Mexico. That, briefly, is the side
of the Governor and his faithful sup
porters in the Legislature and out OF
it are on. 1t is the side which must
win in this fight, or in some other
fight in the future, before New Mexi-
CO can hope for statehood, for good
government, or for anything but the
contempt of decent people anywhere
Now VIA is the side opposed to
the Governor and to those who are
nobly supporting him, and who are
depending on mis- fidelity to the prin-
ciples he processes? 1t is the side led
by H. O.. Bursum, who, by the irony
of fate. is the official leader" of the
Republican organization" in e
Mexico. For very shame my pen al
most refuses to write that humiliating
confession. 1t is the side which for
many years has grown fat, and
strong, and brutal, and defiant on a
cunning misuse of public money; on
its use of public offices to reward its
friends and punish it's enemies, and
consequently to get Legislators elect
ed VINO would obey it's orders, and
work for it instead of for the good
of the people h elected them. 1t
has bee as forgetful of the true int
erests of the Republican party as it
has been neglectful of tae public
good. 1t has dominated our politics,
b%ulldozed our Legislatures into doing
things infinitely harmful to the pub
lie welfare, and has blocked the pass.
g of many good laws because they
might threaten its safety Oh a X
keep our large Mexican population
in ignorance so it could the more
easily be misled or w~heedled or driv-
en- into ne support of boss rule. This
has been one of it's greatest offences.
The Inevitable struggle has now
come between the two forces. One
force is fighting for good government,
and the other for a continuance OF
methods which good men of all par
ties abhor. The contest vitality con-
Germs every man, aid child
in New Mexico, not only for the pres
ent time, but for all the future. But
for us Republicans, it is also a ques-
ton of the life of our party. In my
opinion any Republican who supposes
that the party can live under sucn
leadership as Bursum's, AID under
such a load of brutal disregard and
defiance of everything our party
stands for, is a foo The Pecos Val
ley Republican newspapers should
speak put plainly for he right, but
they hesitate. Why? Here in Ros-
well because it is feared the ma
chine" may try to punish us by using
its influence to prevent the Military
Institute-the best boys school In
the Territory. from getting h appro-