Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-12-22
Public Forum



cause OF delzy in replying Tn
A~nu-Szkoon league Is SO perfectl,
conscious Of truth and right on IL
side. ard that il stands for Also
iutely the best Interests OF the state
and it's people. that il is neither an
eyader a gutter.
But is does ask for n square deal
And i wili insist On that In the
maine Of the people and their best in
~terests- Il must insist on that
Your paper asks nae 10 produce
the figures showing how the con
venticn could be Fe-assembled with
the amount, siee.40e. provided by
congress I respectfully ask: when
congress provided in the enabling
act for the rc-corveuing OF the deie-
gates and a subsequent vote. did they
mean what they said. or was that a
mere "5okerg~ This IS not a mere
joke. This is serious business. To
say. as yoHr editorial does. hat CON
gress was far from capable" in max
ing the appropriation cover The pro-
visions Of the enabling act is assum-
ing a great deai. In whom shall the
people trust. If congress. the highest
~law-making body on earth. can not
be trusted TO be capable and honest ?
But as to the actual necessary ex-
pense. I can give you 1igures asked
for sufficiently accurate and detailed
to prove my assertion that a goodly
number Of men in New Mexico could
have paid ali the necessary expenses
Of The convention, re-assemhled the
delegates. written a good constitution,
and had mono left. I viii give you
a Few figures. and 1t is easy from
this basis to demonstrate mathemat-
ically the balance.
In tina maftar nf yolfuw aw-
penses, there were eight delegates
from Bernaiillo, nine from san
Miguel. two from ~Sandoval. five from
Socorro. four from Taos. three from
Torrance, three from Valencia, and
five from Santa Fee counties. or two
fifths Of all the delegates. whose
necessary travelling expenses both
ways probably did not average over
ten dollars each. But put the aver
age at $50 for the 100 delegates, it
would take $4,000 for that item.
On the printing bill. another large
item could have been saved without
the slightest injury TO the public
good. For example: when the 1900
saloons OF the territory not only Till
our county Jails and penitentiary. and
cause US taxpayers heavy. unbearable
burdens, and the cost and ARE or
the crime they produce, far exceeds
the $~ls3.000 license money these sa-
looms pay into the territorial treas
ury. and when In addition they take
from the people here annually over
n financial menace, that traffic be-
comes a subject for serious consider
alton.
/ am willing at the risk of being |
designated as narrow OF fanatical, TO
speak for 100000 people Of New
Mexico, and call this the most I'M
portant subject, and the most widely
agitated, supported by the strongest
sentiment from all parts of the terri
tory, which came up for considera-
ton by the constitutional convention.
The 10000 petitions. which could
easily have been swelled to $4,000, |
did rot represent one-half of the
really existing sentiment in favor Of
abolition.
Yet that most important cause,
which concerns the welfare Of every
man. woman and child, was given no
fair hearing either in committee nor
in convention. Be ii understood that
do not complain of personal treat
ment, simply the cause. The COM
on prohibition n liquor traf-
gave absolutely no notice in adj
vance of any hearings. although the
tUAlTmAn ana OtNeT members were
plead with to arrange for such hear
.ngs. A short. sudden hearing was
given on Monday, November 14th. ar
adjournment OF the convention.
rom S to : p. M, before l could re-
urn to Santa Fe from my Sunday
meetings..
From one place there were 100
men ready to come on twelve hours
sotice by wire to plead their
other places wanted to send delega-
ions. Absolutely no opportunity was
them. These men have some
ense Of honor and a square deal"
The report of this committee was
llso suddenly sprung in the conven-
ion, in the absence of delegates who
would likely have supported our
The report had not been
.onsidered in committee of the whole,
Iot ordered printed and translated
or laid upon delegates desks for
tudy. like other reports. But the
tempt was made TO rush II through
allowing a word TO be SAID
n this great question. Had It not
cen for the strenuous protests OF re-
delegates who we're elected
N this very issue, and who demanded
ositively to be heard, not q second |
'olld have been given. Finally, just
hirty minutes were voted and
Now, If 50 important a matter can
q handled with so little expense Of
printing. etc, il is no rash !
tatement to say the whole expense Z
the convention. RECOMMENDING, cleo I
printing. and all could easily {
@ cut into halves. and the peoples Z
aal interests have been at least as I
served as they were, and all OF $
S. 900 balance ash in hand. I
AS TO the names of the upwards Of 1,
venty liquor seller delegates in the q
invention, / need only va at this h
me, that they were carefully looked n
D in reliable records. and we have n
le names. one of them said TO me; :
know there is nothing good to be r
i'd In favor OF the liquor business. q
are doing a good work. / wish q
~ every success. Another said. II a
ant to get out OF the business" y
early all a~pologized for selling i
For the present. I must de- Il
10 publish the names. IL is !,
lOugh that they arc known. 4
But / think the descriptive adjec- y
yes I applied to the constitution in y
5 former letter. made as above. and 4,
? treatment accorded the thou Il
nds who wanted prohibition in the q
lnstitution. are none too strong. y
I'D the men who stand for prohibit y
IN may be found on election day "a
-NH - 49, AA-na -