Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-11-05
ADVOCATES
SH0mRTBALLOT,LESS
CA DIDATES
Decrease in Number of Elective
Officers VIII Help Some,
Opinion of Attorney General

elective officers VIII WIN ~ -
public veal is the opinion of Attorney
General CLANCY as expressed IN the
following communication to the Santa
Fe New Mexican.
In the natural strife among many
contending minds in Our constitutional
convention, coupled with the laud-
able desire to hasten the work OF the
convention and finish it promptly,
some OF the broad, general results
which we are likely to reach and tow
ard which we are tending, may be
lost sight Of in the giving Of individ-
ual attention to particular subjects
which seem to the individual mind
most important. It may, then, be OF
value to take, or at least, to attempt,
a comprehensive view of what may
be reached if our constitution making
continues as It is now proceeding.
"The general spirit of the delegates
is excellent and practically all are
seeking only to bring forth the best
constitution possible. 1t is noticeable
that the sentiment is gcneral-almost
unanimous-that there are deep seat
ed and widespread evils in the admin
istration of government affairs in q
majority OF the states of the union,
against the growth of which in our
coming state the constitution should
interpose every possible obstacle and
| protection. This sentiment is most
admirable, but, in the absence of a
| strong, realizing sense of the causes
Of the administrative evils referred TO-,
the remedies proposed may be misdi-
| rected and Inadequate.
Complaint comes to us from all
| parts Of the country of official ineffi-
| cheney and positive dishonesty. This
indicates something wrong in the gen
| erallv prevalent methods of choosing
| Dublic Officers. None of us viii con-
/ cede that the dishonesty Of public
servants Is a reflection of the dishon-
esty Of the people who elect them. we
do not believe that the people at
large are dishonest or desire dishon-
esty in public affairs. Why, then, DO
they so frequently put bad men IN OIL
flee?
"rhe fact is that in nearly all cleo
tions throughout the United States
the mass Of voters do not exercise any
careful, discriminating judgment in
choosing among numerous contendins
| candidates. except perhaps, at times
hetwecn the men whose names head
! the respective tickets, n 1t is also
the fact that It is next to impossible
| for the average citizen to do any bet
ter than he does. Those men VINO
H...t,ag. 1f r4n1ittgG who are
I'm politics. as has been said even IN
New Mexico, only for what there y
i'm il for them do exercise dlscrlml-
nation and Judgment in their Young
and still more In the preparation OF
tho marty tickets which they make
ready for the ordinary voter to choose
between on election day. The more
numerous the offices to be filled the
moro difficult 1t is for the voter to de-
eide wisely, although he seeks nothihs
for himself and would gladly do some
thing for the public good, ana the
, moro easy IL Is for the business pol
%tioian ia accomplish his own purposes
| The average voter ordinarily absorbed
In his private business, on election
dav or for q few days before, turns
aside for a brief space from his usual
%occupation and tries to give some at
tention to his civic duties. Confused
and uncertain among the multitude
OF candidates and the difficulty IL
learning of tehir merits, to say noth-
Ing of his loss of time, il is no won
dor that he usually votes n tlcke'
mr. another. as a whole, his action be-
ing caused by general party feeling OF
norsonal regard for some n or two
candidates whom he considers ms
friends. And the hustnoss-like pom
ticians who are on the job all the
time. are the ones who have prepared
tho tickets. taking care that they, 81
their creatures, are slated Tor th'
lucrative offices. judiciously mlnSllh'
n fov rcspectable candidates for un'
,mnortnnt places with the other klnd
rs n son to what they scott at as th'
better element 81,
"Cut down the number Of cahul
dates TO be voted for 50 mat the wy
ing public can have time to lnVes'l
pnte the merits OF the candidates. ah'
we will inevitably have better cahoi
dates. As a proof of TINS see GU.
presidential elections. LOOK back 10
no last sixty years and YOU will INT
no candidate OF either of the grea
political parties who was not a worth.
,snirant 20 the presidency. LOOK a
The recent example of the city o
-Calveston. formerly misgoverned au'
nb,naered. which with only five cleo
tive officers. has become a model o
mnnicinal government, and the cit
noliticians who formerly controlled
are no longer on the job
heretofore in New Mexico W
lbave elected only a delegate to con
,ress. members of the legislature an.
{ county officers. SO that the trouhl
>, from multiplicity OF candidates, ma
1 not been as great rs in other plaoei
nor as great as 1t may be under on
7 state government The present mdl
@cations are that we will have present
ed ia the hapiess voter at the mrs
state election. candidates, TO be vote
, Tor hy the whole state. for governor
4, lieutenant governor. secretary OF stat
Three justices OF the supreme cour
q treasurer. auditor. attorney genera
4 SUPERINTENDENT OF public instruction
three corporation commissioners
commissioner OF agriculture. and tw
members OF congress. OF sixteen !
..lau There may be others coming
: which L have not yet heard In add
e zion 10 these. there viii be- a distri'