Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-03-09
A LITTLE HOUSE CLEANING


Clovis, y. NJ, March 6.-While the
report which came from Washington
a few days ago that we were to have
no statehood legislation at that SEES
sion of congress came rs a disappoint-
ment to most OF the people of New
Mexico. II came not as a great sur
prise. The action Of the committee
should serve now to convince US that
We should be up and doing with our
house cleaning. Whether or not the
charges that were madc before the
committee on territories were true,
we must realize that we have been
placed upon the suspicion list, and,
although IL Is contrary to common law
and custom to hold guilty before
proven to be. there has been cstab-
lished Of late the practice in civil
ethics 10 hold aloof from and to look
upon with much d|lsfaVor, the persons
or the bodies polite that have so con-
Quoted themselves in political mat
ters as to invite ~unfavorablc criticism.
ana il therefore dcvolves upon such
persons or such people as the case
may be, to successfully refute the
charges that may be made or quietly
step down and out.
That Senators Bcveridge and Ncl-
son were playing politics when they
sprung these charges right at the last
moment OF the session, most OF MS
viii be ready to admit. and whether
they had in mind the interest of the
nation which they have been chosen
to help protect and to serve when
they played his tactful role We may
also question, yet We must acknow-
ledge that they were acting wholly
within the limits OF their rights as
members Of this committee, and II
they felt that they had any damag-
ing evidence against the official con
duet of any of New McxicO's Officers,
Il was their unQucstionablo right and
duty to suspend or defer action upon
the statehood bill until such charges
could be looked into.
New Mexico has made the fatal
mistake Of sending TO Washington rs
her delegate TO congress, a man who
unfortunately represents a different
typo Of citizenship from that repre-
scented by the majority of his terri
tory's mon. The majority party OF
the territory had It's choice to make
from among a number of men, any
one OF whom would have better
served the people OF our territory ana
would have given rs q better adver-
tisement at the national capital, vet
the fixed slate at the convention
which nominated the candidate left
the alternative Of accepting Mr.. An
drews or nothing 1t is but natural
that the members OF congress should
look at our delegate as the rcprcsen-
tative type from our territory. and
that they should hesitate to admit In
go he great group OF the sistcrhood
of states such a people as he would
represent does not appear strange to
many OF our home people.
Another thing that viii. until
remcdied. stand as a speaking monu-
ment To our unlearncd and unprogres-
sivc condition, is hat We hold vet TO
the old. outWorn and hoss-riddcn
of voting. The writer has a
from a member of the United
senate which came as an am
swcr ia an inquiry in which IT was
asked how ala the congress Wow our
present methods OF voting in this tor
I1tory, n would there be created q
more favorable impression ii we
should aGopt the nov almost univer-
sally approved Australian ballot
knowing, MS ! do. the sterling ma
turc uf the man, ana his disposition
10 give careful and earnest thought
attention 10 any question before F.
f|enturing "a suggestion or offering an
objection. l valued his remark more
han J should have had II come from
/ man anxious 10 offer some objection I
'A INV FNhf w lANMAN Jllkmtnt up
ln his own opinion. or who was
anxious TO appear in sympathy with
just heCause IL was reform.
\ part Of the letter reads. That
OF your people may be unable !
90 mark a ballot that would pass the &
ballot basket or that =
many OF them could not mark their g
correctly without aid from q
may be true. for certainly ,
may De said Of thousands of the :
'otcrs OF our best states yet we must ,
M know hat a proper law should ,
a way by which the election
OF the various polling !
'lacos SHOULD give nar instruction to 2
uch a voter. That the percentage y
4 il%litcracy On your territory should
'e greater than hat OF some of the Y
css prosperous states OF the union
many take IL that your present ,
Methods OF voting would indicate that ,
is truc-ccrtairlN could not /,
eryc Nou very wei in the capacity OF
statehood booster" y
In his letter this senator would !
that he spoke the opinion !