Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-07-26
SCHEME AND SCHEMERS RECALL
DETAILS OF NOTORIOUS RAILROAD
BILL ANNULLED BY CONGRESS

and It il generally agreed here that
it Is hummer As humanitarian
scheme TO lft the burden Of govern
ing their own affairs off the bowed
shoulders OF the people is original
and effective
But, strange to relate, the people
or many OF those who have heard OF
II do not seem 10 care for the scheme.
They seem, IN fact, TO resent Il, The
large majority of the voters IN this
county are loyal citizens They be-
lieve In standing un aud fighting for
their party principles and they be-
lieve firmly IN the hcalthful and re-
straining influence Of the partisan
election Otero r. q close county and
q partisan election would force both
parties to nominate not only their
strongest men, but the men most pop
nlar with the people and most likely
to gel the votes The corporation
representatives are not popular IN
Otero county. The county has had
considerable experience with corpora
ton methods in politics and they seem
to want to take a hand IN their own
affairs
II is this familiarity with corpora
ton methods that Is causing the no.
torious railroad bill to be recalled SO
strongly just at this time. The story
Of that bin ana the way Il was slip
ped thruugn the legislature OF 1908
BY the Hawkins Fall-Spess combina-
ton. Is wen known here. IL Is being
recalled that Congressman Birdsall,
In speaking to the resolution nullify-
ing this act, In the house or represen-
tntives on May 8. 1908, said
If attention was paid 60 the read
ing OF the resolution it will readily oc-
cur to the members Of the house that
certainly tiis IS the most remarkable
piece OF legislation ever enacted. In
stend of being entitled AN act To reg
ualte procedure IN the territory OF
New Mexlco,' It should have been en-
titled IAN act 20 prevent the recovery
of damages Tor injuries received in
accidents or otherwise, upon railways
in the territory Of New Mexico It
Is only necessary TO call the attention
OF the house to the three or four pro-
visions of the legislation 10 demon
stratc It's iniquity
It ls being recalled by those who
read the congressional record and the
newspaper reports Of that time, that
Mr.. hlrdsall proceeded to call the at-
tentiou of the house 60 these three or
four provisions. while the members OF
the house of representatives Of the
United states held ~ their hands in
horror and disgust at the foisting OF
such legislation upon people. and
nf
the laughtei al the ridiculc Of the
New Mexleo legislature had subsidized
aud the eNpt ession Of disgust had died
away
where was that act passed--in a
railroad office"
And Congressman Birdsall replied,
ut was born in iniquity--I do not
know how It was passed"
But The people of New Mexico who
follow legislative proceedings and
many who do not know how the act
WIS passed and who passed Il. They
nave had variety of experience
with legislation OF the Hawkins Fall
speiss variety and they have learned
lot about II. The people of this
county have been particularly fo-
vorcd with the active assistance Of
the corporation represe natives in
handling their affairs.
So II Is being asked just now by
many humble voter. both democrats
and republicans as they discuss this
"non-partisan' delegation proposed
for them:
.'Nyhy. n Mr.. Hawkins. Mr.. Fail and
their associates were willing To put
law like this railroad bill through the
legislttre. taking protection for limb
and even life away from the people
and placing them wholly at the mercy
of the ra lroads: why u they would do
this woukd they not be ready and Will
ing 10 shp provisions into our con-
stitutiou equally beneficial 20 the
railroads aud equally preiudicfal 10
the people,
II looks now. however as II the
deal woulo' go through. at least so far
as the county committees OF the two
partics are concerned. The organiza-
lion Of both. parties here Is inactive
ea,e rfeht ou the eve OF an election
ana Marty ma .nagement has fallen into
the hands of a very few men. republic
cans and democrats alike. The COR
marathon renrrsentatives. here as else
where have no politics. They are in
the game TO get results and the field
here has not b een a difficult one.
whether or not The people will stand
aside aud allow. their delegates 10 DC
selected for IN en- by this unique
method is an ospsp question