New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1916-09-01
DEMOCRATS ALL AT
SEA ON CANDIDATES
UNTIL MACHINE WORKS
Finally The Expert Mecharicians Get to Work and
1t Runs Beautifully; Deserving Democrats Sacri-
feed to Win Hand-Fu of Progressives; Some
Sore Spots Left Unhealed

! The Democratic convention which
/ assembled i'll this city on Wednes-
day was a very unusual one in a GER
tain particular The delegates were
completely at sea regarding their
candidates and those who wanted
to be nominated were evidently non
grata persona and those whom the
delegates would like to have put on
the ticket were very evidently
afraid OF the cars, as the declina
tions came fast and constant from
one and another.
The one active and working can
didate for the governorship was Sen
ator Isaac Barth who milled around
among the delegates with unfailini
persistency. The very receptive
candidate was f. c. de ,Baca who
was constantly telling the members
of the convention how very CRATE
full he was for the mention OF his
name and informing them that his
health was very good now and very
much improved. During the pre-
tedng hours of the convention
there were jauntas and meetings of
all kinds on the street corners and
at every available meeting place, not
excepting the thirst parlors where
the various caucuses were held and
where the delegates tried to moisten
the dryness OF the enthusiasm which
seemed to be affected by a drought,
Finally the convention was called
to order and the temporary officers
named. The chairman who was to
keynote was Governor Mcdonald.
The speech he made was one of ex-
PLANTATION and defense. He told of
the wonders OF the national Demo-
cratic administration, but he did not
tell anything about its monumental
failures.
He explained all about the Las
Cruces bank failure and said he did
not know anything about its condi-
ton until the doors were closed, but
he did not explain why it was that
this ignorance existed when he had
a bank examiner to keep him posted,
and if it was not done both the exam
ner and the governor were recreant
in their duty, the former in that he
did not make the report as he should
and the latter in making the appoint
mcnt OF an incapable official. The
governor told how he would cast the
mantle of charity over the should
ers of the nominees of the Republi-
can party, realizing, perhaps that
the aforesaid mantle might be plac-
ed upon his own shoulders if he did
not get rid of it first. After the
conclusion of the speech which
seemed more like all explanatory
message to the legislature than like
a keynote speech, the convention ap-
pointed the usual committees and
adjourned until Thursday morning.
In the time of the recess the cease
less milling went on. Numerous
names were talked of for the gov
ernorship, including DR.. Shuler d.
B. K. ellers, iguel A. Otero. and a
boom was started for Judge Hanna
and a committeewaited upon him
to see if he would consent to enter
the race. He declined to be consid-
cred Never in the history of con-
ventions has there been seen such
uncertainty as to the candidate for
governor and such diversity of opin
and such apparent fear on the part
OF the members of the party to ac
cept the doubtful honor of a Demo-
cratic nomination with sure defeat
ahead.
At nine o'clock Thursday morning
the delegates assembled, but the
slate had not been determined upon
an dthe conference continued in the
different rooms in the city, no one
seeming to know what it was best
to do. The delegates buzzed around
or sat in their seats watchfu'.y
waiting. One delegate called out
Start the game and the response
came back, "No umpire" 1t was
very evident that one was needed.
This kind of uneasiness and d.;ay
went on till ll.0s when Gov. McDon-
aid entered the chamber and called
the convention to order, saying he
was to blame for the delay, but ret
telling why.
The first order of business was the !
report of the committee on rules,
permanent organization and order