Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-03-21
Republicans and Democrats
Are Unanimous That Corrup-
ton Must be Eliminated in
Senatorial Election.
CONSPIRACY CHARGE
HAS MANY BELIEVERS
Openly Hinted That Sensational
Arrest of -Four Representa-
tives Was Prompted by Ute
rior Motives.

Especial Dispatch to the Morning journal !
Santa Fe, n. NJ. March 20.-Repub-
licans and democrats of all factions in
affiliation here are unanimous in de-
elaring that bribery and all forms of
corruption must be eliminated from
the senatorial election at once and
forever. but
1t is equally certain that the arrest
of the four members of the house OF
representatives on the charge OF soic-
iting and accepting a bribe to vote for
certain candidate has engendered
distrust, i'll feeling and hardly half
yelled charges of bad faith among
senatorial aspirants ana their friends.
That Interior selfish motives and not
the desire to purify the election ac-
tuated those responsible for the wide
publicity given the affair is being
freely charged by one faction of the
republican leaders, assembled at the
capital, while the charge is bitterly
denied by another faction.
That the arrest of the four mem
bers and its attendant consequences
have added measureably to the per-
s0nal bitterness of the contest for
senatorial honors is conceded by all,
and its ultimate effect no one viii pre-
dict. This phase of the scandal as a
toI,is vf discussion bids fair to Vver-
shadow even the hitherto all-absorb-
Ing topic of VINO Will be the next
United States senators of this new
state and in the lobby of the Palace
hotel and in other centers where the
politicians gather the debate is almost
fron ID, urripnnni-
Gus. Never, perhaps. has what Is gen
orally regarded as a good deed badc
fair to be followed by a more direful
consequence, while none can be found
who will be quoted as fathering the
assertion, It being pcrsistently charged
that the whole scandal was "A scheme
concocted and carried out for its ef'
feet upon the chances of certain can
didates to secure the necessary votes
for election.
Whatever of truth or falsity there |
may be in this assertion the investigat |
ing committee appointed by the house
will bring to light; the searchlight OF
publicity will be turned upon every |
nook and crevice of the transaction Is
the assertion OF the men who compose |
the committee. let ii hurt or serve !
whom ii may. Widely divergent stories
are told of the affair. One version I
depicting the four accused men as ie- !
norant but innocent victims of n trap |
skillfully laid and sprung To subtract |
votes from one of the senatorial candi-
dates, and il is pointed out that at
lease three OF the men were support
ers OF this candidate. The other ver-
f,,t, tl and
eager TO barter their totes for pecuni-
ary consideration and their arrest as I
an act tended to show to the people /
Of the state and nation that no buy
Ing and selling of senatorial honors
will be tolerated in New Mexico.
Whatever the inside facts of the af
fair be, many of the Spanish -Ameri-
cans here are firmly convinced that
u will rebound to the injury Of the
Spanish citizens in the
state generally and they are extreme
y bitter in their expressions that all
OF the accused men are Spanish
Americans. which they declare, is the |;
result not OF an accident, but design
and this feeling is causing the repub- {
lcan leaders grave uneasiness as TO I;
Its effect upon the party. whatever |
the truth of the affair may be. /,
Up to the present time the matter
mas had no perceptible effect on the
votes for the various candidates but I
The candidates themselves and their
heutenants. are undoubtedly anxious
and apprehensivc as To the result on
The vote when the affair has been
more thoroughly digested by the
members
Whatever the effect OF the expose
upon the republican party or the for :
tunes Of the senatorial candidates II Is q
conceded that the incident will re- {
oound to the general good. as ii viii q
undoubtedly act as deterrent upon I
shyone who may in the future con .
template endeavorins 10 Lorimerize
me legislature OF New Mexico The !
Nisor and promptness with which the a
members Of the house Of representa- q
ives acted. once the men were ac- Y
eused. shows the temper Of the citi- {
1ens of the state generally. upon mat q
'ers affecting the good name of the :
e'aie That the committee should
'robe the affair thorodghiy. let the
sAe iail where Il may. H. the aNo~""
s'nument expressed BY men hers "i .
'oih parties and all factions.