Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-09-26
Chairman Ralph c. Ely GiUes Some
Vievs on Mr. Ferguson 8 EffTciency

to actually impose greater burdens
upon the poor homesteader in New
Mexico, than were ever imposed be-
fore.
You say that The Is now IN fair
way to get through n bill TO entItle
the homesteader TO take up enough
land OF that remaining in the public
domain. upon which he can make a
comfortable living" You undoubted-
ly refer TO his so-called section home
stead act This bill has been intro
duced In congress: 1t has langulshed
In the committee for nearly two years,
and no better illustration of the inef-
ficiency OF thu man could be pro-
duced than the fact that he has in
troduced this bill ana has never been
able to get II out Of the committee.
| suspect there are a score Of pages.
running errands FOR the members of
congress. who could get their friends
to Introduce bills for them. Anybody
can do Il, but II takes live, active,
foreeful man. to get his bin through
congress. II Is the passage of the act
that measures the power of the man.
The mere fact that he has introduced
the bill spells nothing. The fact that he
has not been able TO pass the bill. IL il Is
a good one, which we are not discuss
ing, tends TO confirm the complaint
Of his lack OF efficiency
Mr.. Ferguson has introduced a bill
TO relieve the entryman OF the mining
claim ~
500 for assessment work, during the
next twelve months. He introduced
that bill after the republican conven-
ton In this state included in its plat
form a plank, pledging our congress-
man to do this, II elected It Is posi-
tive calamity to delay by twelve
months the development Of our min
ing resources. Such an act was
passed once before and that was dur
ing the panicky times OF Mr.. cleve-
lands administration. The unwisdom
of democratic policy has made our
country SO hard up that the mining
men could not find the money to carry
ON their development work. I'm spite
OF your European wars and strfes
abroad. the stringency of the money
market today has made the burden of
this development work nnhearable in
many sections OF our state, and the
necessity Of such a measure is inn
posed upon MS by the same line of
public policy which made 1t neces-
sary before. and Mr.. FERGUSON has
helped along those policies by consist
entity voting according to the dictates
Of the democratic caucus, but he
has not passed his hill he has merely
introduced il. He has helped to bring
about the conditions making such q
relief measure necessary. but he has
not been able to put through the re-
lief Rlsasure. The same page who
could prSsgro-tti'iissf inc yyssuetion of his
homestead bill could procure y rs m /
PRODUCTION of this relief measure. b "
neither a boy nor a tired old maiik
could procure their passage.
You say che is pushing bin to
secure an appropriation of public
lands for road building purposes"
Has he pushed II through? Have We ,
got the landsY Is there any probable
iN of its passing? 1t would be ex-
ceedingly interesting for you to COM
pare IN your columns the appropria-
lions Of land and money which Mr..
Ferguson has actually procured for
New Mexico during his term Of service ,
rs member of congress, with full
voting power. with the appropriations
u land and money procured for New [
Mexico by Mr., Andrews, for instance.
when he was merely a delegate, rep
'esenting a territory. and having no
iote' The one win give you the sad /
dory Of old age inefficienoy: the
'ther will give you the story of old
'ge efficiency. /
bld age is no crime; II comes SOON
7 or later TO all of us. There have
'een great old men in the worlds his I
DRY, who have retained the full pos
ession Of their powers and of their
Isefulntss up to the last days Of their
ives There was Gladstone. virile and I
cfive and potent in the house of com
mons. until after his cightleth year;
here was John Quincy Adams. the old :
nan eloquent; champion of the right !
4 petition in the house of representa-
ives at Washington, until he died In
he harness and IN his tracks: greater
. his later DAYS than he ever was IN
niddle life: there was Senator Ed I