El Nuevo mexicano., 1916-03-30

The trouble with the Republican party IL
this state is not with the seitscOnRtituted
ana self.perpetuating leaders, but with the
men who ought to- be the leaders.
There is no d~iscounting tine timber IN the
membership OF the party in New Mexico,
There are scores Of clean, able men, with
the ability and the attainments to be lead
ers. There are men a-plenty whose princi-
pies and ideals and convictions do not line
IN In any respect with the ideas n the
methods of the men who have dictated party
procedure for twenty years. There are men
of caliber suitable for any office in the gilt
Of the people, who regard the race Issue as
reprehensible and dangerous, who believe
in constructive legislation, who want to see
efficiency and integrity in the public ofilcess
who have a deep regard for the constitution
and constitutional government, whose IDEAS
of administration and legislation look be.
yond sand-bagging and petty grudges,. be-
yond a strict spoils policy, beyond the PIE
counter and taking care OF the boys"
These men include standpat Republicans
and men OF more liberal views. You can
think at once of any such. They are
prominent and successful In business ana
DEVELOPMENT, in industrial enterprises and
civic advancement. All over the state you
can fnd them, substantial and respected cit
liens.
They do not figure in party states. AS 9
rule they dc not have nominations forced
upon them because of their recognized TT.
ness for Office. Occasionally they are found
holding high Offices, sometimes by POLITICAL
accident, sometimes because Of their active
adherence to the organization. They are
not the dominating, controlling force IN the
marty. IL they rise to prominence 1t Is be-
cause some manipulation needs q bit Of tone
to carry along his own schemes.
The Republican party is owned and man
aged by the forces which now own and man
age it in this state because men Of broad
intelligence and clean convictions allow III
because they swallow the dose so~long as
the label is on the bottle; because they
meekly submit to the domination OF men
whose political methods and conceptions are
the antipodes OF their own; because they
follow in the wake Of leaders whose work
ID directed at tearing down all that they
themselves are seeking to build up In their
own daily activities.
The Republican organization and party
in New Mexico might easily be made some
thing which could command the voluntary
support Of an overwhelming majority Of the
citizens. 1t would be less expensive; large
sums spent iii herding votes could be clint
mated, and a candidates likelihood OF cleo
ton would no longer depend on the amount
of money he could scatter around among
the electorate. IL would not 90 necessary
to make a defensive campaign before every
election and to seek to cover up records
and palliate the public offenses Of caadt
dates.
There are plenty of young Republicans
who should be taking hold OF the reins. The
signs Of such a movement in Santa re are
gratifying. Rotation iii leadership 10 as de-
sirabie as rotation iii office. When the
party begins to get rid of the parasites
which have been fattening on it for a quar-
ter of a century It will begin 70 get out Of
the mud.