Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-12-26
Why Patri OTIS Should
Vote for State Cd

1t has often been observed, thai
many good men fail to keep them
selves informed about local political
affairs; and often abstain from a k
ing any active part in the ward and
precinct primari and these same
men have afterwards complained be-
cause selfish politicians and ward
heelers had been permitted to choose
the candidates to be voted for at the
election following. This is no doubt
true, and reveals a bad state Of affairs
wherever il exists. Every voter ought
to be thoroughly informed about
local affairs, as wen those pertaining
TO his county, the state. and the ma
tion at large. He should be diiigent
in safeguarding his local interests.
These matters are far reaching, for
good or evil, and their neglect to n
great extent, n for a long period OF
time. would most certainly invite dis
aNter n ruin.
The constitution Of the United
States guarantees 10 the several states
a republican form Of government. A
representative or delegated form;
where one or more act for many. In
stead OF the whole number Of people
assembling themselves together To for
mulate their laws. they choose one or
more of their number, whose duty Is
to act for all the inhabitants residing
in a certain community. A pure
democracy, except In a very small To-
caltty, has always resulted in a ira
yeSty on good government. The fall
ure I'm proportion to the size of the
mass sought to be governed in that
way.
There never was a question Of gov
eminent, of ethics. or any other mode
of human conduct, that had not its
opposition. This rule has always pre-
vailed, and viii probably continue,
for many years yet to come. The
chronic faultfinder never has been
known to fail to appear. His sched-
ule Is as that of the sun. Like Eli,
he is there on both feet. His mind
Of one would call 1t by that name),
is always fully Informed, as well be-
fore making inquiry, rs afterwards;
the inquiry being a mere matter OF
form. a make-believe, He Is the
standard authority on hunting; hunt
ing for mares nests. His game bag
Ia always full. This knocker can
read through a brick, a milestone,
anything, and always succeeds In find
ing just what he is looking for.
That our prospective constitution
has its opponents, Is no surprise TO
me. and ought not to be to anyone
that tages any pains in Keeping him
self in touch with the current affairs
OF our community, and those of the
general government. If anyone ever
expected a constitution to be perfect
al the beginning. or at any subsequent
time thereafter, he certainly lacks
something in his estimate of the value
OF human affairs. No convention
ever considered its work as being com
plete for all futurity; and, for that
very reason provision Is always made
for alterations and amendments, as
.vInrt.naa and ,Fcr may dictate Of
the one hundred members of our con-
vention, not more than three or four
claimed to be perfect in their knowl-
edge of the science of law making
and statecraft; and they, the wise
ones, owing to the paucity or their
number. failed to impress the major
ity. by their failure to impress the
majority, We gained a splendid funda-
mental law, and at the same time es-
capped 'Haskellism," the Oregon
plan" and the Lord knows how many
other doubtful and untried theories
and isms. The men that wrote the
constitution, did just what they prom
Used to do, and s~teadfastly refused 10
permit the instrument to be loaded
with doubtful and untried theories.
They wrote n basic law that they
thought would serve the needs OF the
people of New Mexico, and would sue
cessfully pass the scrutiny of con-
gress and the president. Being chosen
to represent the people, they consid-
cred the matter in a serious light
They refused to permit their dairy
meetings to be whiled away IN the
performance Of childish pranks n
cob-house building. and performed
their duties In an honest and con-
scientious
ANY thing that was ever written in
a constitution, can, by amendment, be
taken out Of ii. The same power that
made the instrument. can alter 1t and
add to il as occasion may require. The
same people that sent the present con-
vention to santa Fe, to make their
constitution, can as easily delegate
others TO alter and amend 1t. The
convention exhibited commendable
wisdom when 1t safeguarded the con
stitution against the easy injection OF
II, Of dangerous alterations n
amendments. Jawsmiths and JIM
cracks win find little or no encour-
agement i'm the pursuit OF n OF their
favorite occupations. Whenever a
change of any kind Is needed. there
will always be a sufficient number OF
good people to rise up and demand IT,
and they will take care to go TO the
polls and vote for the change.
The assertion that the constitution
Is trust made, is entirely without
rms Is merely n tdttt
phrase. CANNON talk; calculated TO
deceive. IL possible, by sacrificing the
real truth; and this argument Is be-
ing carried to such a degree of stub
borness and obstinacy, as to border
mighty close on to pigheadishness; a
kind OF mild insanity, where II Is
proposed to sacrifice the real truth In
order to sustain a monstrous error
Taking into consideration the fact
that New Mexico has been a territory
OF the United States during the last
sixty-four years. M during that time
has made many attempts to get into
the union. and has as often failed;
and. as we now face the very best OPP
p%ortunity ever offered us for enter
ing the union. / believe II to be the
very height Of folly. for us to further /
our present opportunities. \
Fifty years ago there We're but three
states west OF the Missouri; now
there are fifteen. The west a
grown wonderfully. The east has
become Jealous of this sudden ac-
cumulation of power. They have
realized the fact that, westward the
star of empire takes, its way This
jealousy has worked powerfully
against us since the admission into the
union. of what they sneeringiy term
"the Saeehrush states shall we ac-
cept the offer OF statehood? or shall
we let Il pass. paving less attention
to II than 10 Haliey's comet. that may