Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-06
THE RACE ISSUE
nY !. RRADFonD rmNoE.


mo Editor Of the Evening Herald.
happened % be absent IN New
YORK, az the time. a couple Of months
aro. when the subject OF "Race ~
sue" was somewhat discussed In the
Sew Mexico press; but as the echoes
OF that discussion are stil heard and
she subject - one which involves so
puch danger 20 the future OF our neW
1thies 7 beg 70 Submit a Jew thoughts.
firstly Hs 10 such race issue being
on wrong IN principle and leading to
nothing bus evil. and secondly as 20
me lack Of rcaaon for any such race
FEELING among eur own population.
From the very beginning OF It's his
tory as a part Of the United states,
New Mexico has been peculiarly free
from race prejudice or race divisions
81 nineteen persons elected az dele
gates "a congress. ten were born In
New Mexico, seven IN 'the states" one
IN Germany and ono in ireland. In
the popular branch OF the legislature,
though the membership for half a
oetury was largely made up OF native
New Mexicans, yet fourteea times out
OF thirty-eight they elected speaker
from the Anglo-Amerlcan members.
Among those who have achieved
prominence and held official positions
here, there have been natives OF Ger
many. France. England. scotland,
Wales. Spain. Portugal. Holland,
Scandinavia. Poland, Switzerland,
Italy and Turkey. besides Mexico and
Canada, az well az those born IN New
Mexico and those from "she states;"
and a has been very rare occurrence
that the nativity OF a candidate was
used for or against him In cam
poign. This. % course. was right. An
who were eligible 20 election we're clt-
izena of che Omitted states. and every
Citizen Of the American republic
stands on an equal footing. wherever
he was born and Whatever his lam
guage.
No country IN the world Is nearly
80 cosmopolitan as the United states.
The original settlement OF the Attain
tic colonies was Dutch on the Hudson.
Swedish on the Delaware, and French
on the coast OF Afalne as well as
English in other sections: afterwards
came the vast immigration Of Irish,
Of Germans, and OF Scandanavians.
followed by the influx from southern
and eastern Europe OF Italians,
Greeks, Poles. Russians Hungarians,
ana kindred people. Nearly every ma
tive Of New Mexico, including an up
10 sixty-fivc years Of age. was born
under the American flag. while over
ten millions or the inhabitants In the
older states are OF foreign birth.
II would be absolutely absurd
therefore, even n It were not wrong
on principle. TO have any feeling ex-
ist between one class OF Americans
and another. simply on accout % par
onsase and descent. II would be fully
az sensible 10 try 70 array tho de-
scendants Of the old Dutch settlers 81
New York against 1he descendants 81
their English Successors or Vice versa
a. 10 stir up and create a feeling 81
antaRonism between the older and the
newer corners In the history of New
Mexico.
IN selecting officers. the one inn
portant point Is 10 obtain the most
efficient and honorable men with the
special qualifications required BY
the ohice: and without any regard 20
other matters
I remember a very good illustration
OF this principle, 30 my own expert
ence. which I think has never been
printed
In 1858, when the Republicans were
returned 90 power under President
Harrison there was a very large NUM-
Der Of candidates for different posi-
lions IN New Mexico was inaugu-
rated as governor on April i7th, One
by one the other officials we're APP
pointed. the secretary the surveyor
general the judges the y. 5. attorney,
four registers OF the land office, and
four receivers one IN fact but
the marshall and not single native
New Mexican had been named. Very
naturally there was considerable feel
ing about this and i was plain that
this omission II not remedied would
be- used effectively against ua Ia the
lali election campaign. The situation
seemed go critical that / went 20
Washington TO speak to the president
about it. There WAS a fierce contest
for the marshalshlp. 30 less than nine
prominent Republicans being candi-
dates, and two or three had such pow
erful influence that each thought him.
self sure OF success. or the entire 4
nine only one was a native OF New
Mexico, Hon. Trinidad Romero, I pre-
sented the subject 20 the president as
as / could / reminded him
that q majority OF our people were
Spanish americans. that they ware
largely Republicans, that thus far
among a dozen important appoint
ments they had not received the
slightest recognition. and that sucn
neglect was liable TO bring disastrous
results. and ! asked the appointment (
Of Trinidad Romero as a worthy rep /,
resentativo OF this unrepresented pop
uiatloD. The president answered in (
stantiy in his brief decisive way: /,
This administration IL not appoint y
Ing officials on the ground of nation Z
atty ! am often asked TO appoint 4
some one because he Is a German, or
pa freshman or a Swede. But that has
no weight here. We wish % appoint
The very best men 10 every office 10
BIZ flled the man who IL best adapted
10 it, aud that Is the only matter %
be considered" ANY discussion was
evidently useless, and In a moment N
changed the base OF application.
Very well. Mr. President" said, mo