Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-02-16
The Morning Journal Bureau,


The Morning Journal Bureau,
Santa Fe, n. NJ. Feb. IS
The remnant of thai once powerful
machine directed by II. 0. Bursum is
today engaged in making a last des-
perate effort to secure the passage of
the district attorney bill now resting
in the hands of Chairman Car! A.
Dilies of the council judiciary commit
tee, who is waiting for the word from
Bursum that there are enough votes
to pass the bill to return 1t to the
council. For three weeks this meas
ure has been in Mr.. Dates pocket,
Every day during those three weeks
the statement has been made by MEM
bers OF the Bursum following that
there are votes enough in the council
to pass the bill yet day after day has
passed and the bill. has not been re-
turned; has been deliberately held up
in committee when it is known on
every street corner of Santa ne and
to every urchin in the streets that the
whole fate of the Bursum legislative
campaign rests in the fate of this
bill that if the Bursum campaign is
to have even partial success this bill
must pass And so, not having
strength enough to pass the bill in
the council. and holding sufficient
following in the house to tie up legis-
lation, Bursum has held his house fol-
lowing together and for half of the
legislative session he hes tied NJ not
only the district attorney bill, but
through his control Of the chief COM
mttees of the house. legislation of
every kind knowing it useless to in
troduCe other net measures with the
district attorney bill in the way, yet
strong enough to prevent the, passage
of legislation desired by the people.
So It Is that with the legislp tive
session half gone and with al of the
important legislation promised by the
republican party and desired by the
people vet unenaCted. the members
of the assembly are growing restless
and uneasy and even the most de-
voted followers of the Bursum stand
ard are openly expressing fear that
the game is W, that the fight has
been carried as far as the overtaXed
patience of the people will stand and
that Bursum must execute his COM
paign proposed 'at the beginning or
the session, or get out of the way 80
that legislation may proceed. one by
one the strong republicans of the ter
rtory. the men who carry weight with
the people, are abandoning him and
his desperate fight, some of them
merely retiring silently, others indicat-
iIS uISDltdSuIt dt tllt NuulS st pui NAl''l
by the party chairman, yet others
openly fighting his scheme to disrupt
the governmental system Of the ter
Jitory and to turn its affairs upside
down in his wild effort to save his
political neck and to retaiiate against
the governor of New Mexico.
Through his position as the partH
chairman, Bursum has been able to
retain his post to a certain extent
as the party manager of legislation.
BY pledges sucered through promises
many of which he will never be able
to fulfill by pledges secured in many
ways, he has held together a follow
ing sufficiently strong up to this time
to hold up all legislation, although
unable to pass his own
Put with the strong men of the
party one by one deserving him, with
his following in the legislature grow
ing restive and uneasy with the
strong men of the Legislature who
honestly desire to perform the duties
for which they We're elected work.
ing hard to this end. the time for ac-
tion has come and the Bursum men
today are working as they have never
worked before to secure votes enough
in the council to pass the district at
torncy bill. the foundation of their
perate work for the machine men
realize that It is now or never that
their bill must go through or the
game they are playing with the peo'
pie win be up. II is a big game
and it has been hard fought not a
particularly profitable game for the
neople: not conducive to very good
legislation. nor to the kind of public
spirit and party spirit which makes
for success of the party or prosperity
Of the te'ritory-iust a desperate po-
litical game played by a desperate po-
litical gamester and some smaller
gamesters who realize that this stake
Is their last. that unless the cards run
right. or unless they can be safely
stacked Il vii! be the end of their
participation in public affairs in New
Mexico.
And 50 this last rally for the pass
age of the district attorney bill Is
desperate; the very desperation OF 1t is
one of the surest indications of the
true nature Of the legislation pro-
posed. Not a tiny string which can
be reached and pulled by the short
ened arms of the machine is being
left unpulled Every influence which
can be brought to behr on members
of the council is being brought to
bear. Threats and promises, prom
ises and threats. the chief stock III
trade of the Bursum management are
being used recklessly to bribe or whlr
the obstinate eouncilmen into line
with the machine
Thursday night II was known thai
there were five men In the council
tacitly committed to vote for the dis
tIict attorney bill sixth man Is
believed to be for II in modified form
on tho other hand six COuncilmen are
believed TO stand against It. II Is OF
this six that the efforts OF the ma
chine are directed The efforts are
"a Ntnn,,nnndn,ln ushnr a 70 Tho N VI nffnrl.