Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-07-09
Public Forum

How 40 Get the Biggest Men.
To the Editor 81 the Morning Jour.
nal.
Dear Sir-A constitution as a funda.
mental act Of government should be
essentially. a non-partisan instrument,
but the point 81 view OF the men who
frame Il and their strong convictions
regarding many matters which might
better be left 10 leg slaIive enactment,
are very likely to give color 10 such
an instrument as a more or less parti-
gan creation. In this connection
there has been a good deal Of dis
c~ussion as to the feasibility OF q So
called non-partsan constitutional con-
vention, and the methods of its selec-
ton. The very nature Of our insti-
buttons. u habits Of thought and the
existence Of great political parties. it
seems TO me. combine 4 make Il i'm
possible for the party leaders among
themselves % devise any practicable
plan for the selection Of delegates
20 = constitutional convention which
viii not utterly remove rom the peo-
PIE the privilege which. after all. is
Fundamentally theirs. namely. The
right to select the men who draft
the constitution for submission 10
them.
Each party should be responsible
10 the people for the selection OF its
men within the several counties
as candidates for election TO the con
vention. When these men are form
ally placed before the people for
their consideration IL will be the priv
Ilege OF the people Il select from the
number 90 submitted those men who.
In their opinion. are best fitted by
training. temperament and otherwise
participate IN such work. My
county of Luna is strongly dem
while 7 am a republican. /
might naturally prefer to see some
one person selected by our local lead
srs and presented 70 the electors for
endorsement merely. Butt feel
any scheme or plan which re-
moves the widest liberty Of choice
the people. Is essentially un-
democratic. a violation Of our very
~precedents and bound to result
depriying the people ~ the privi-
fAF va AiA4hAtAE AAAAN Ati'hNt ~ anu AAAnA
I viii place this power too largely in
ne hands OF the leaders of the two
great parties. The thing 10 be con-
.idered In such a government as curs
= 10 put great questions up TO the
in such q way that their wish
nay prevail. The further you remove
uch questions from the immediate
Of the people. the more ahSo-
YOU place hen in the hands
v the few and encourage and
machines.
/ am. therefore radically opposed to
ny scheme Of a non-partisan c%onven-
originating with cur leaders and
.ermit them TO divide up the terri
DRY on any arbitrary basis c~slculat-
d TO give them undue power; and am
thoroughly In favor OF the nomination
4 party candidates coupled with the
10 choose from among the
andidates those men whom they be-
eve to be best fitted 4 serve them
q this work Of constitution making.
agardless OF party. The result will
g q convention made up Of men OF I
h~aracter and experience and stand s
- ~ AHt afFf4di N'ihiiANHhtAtH Ahfs J
III be individually partisan, but they I
re bound TO be the biggest men. the I
est men and the brightest men which I
Mexico can produce; and such I
len will make a constitution which !
III be non-partisan in character and :
and sound enough to satisfy the i
.Ost ~exacting and the most critical. v
RALPH G. ELY. Q
Deming, n. NJ. July s. 1910.