New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1916-12-29

Donald was a candidate for the office of
Lieutenant Governor.
He realized that if he could be elected
| ;cu.enant Governor that he would soon be-
come governor Of the state and thus be able
+. carry nut his plan to run for United
States Senator from the Governors office.
Mcdonald did not realize his own weak
ness; few politicians ever do. He thought
his great task was to put de Baca across"
so that he would be sure to become Governor.
Hence, he directed all his energies, as did the
state committee, to elect de Baca. Not a line
was written, nor a dollar spent to further the
candidacy CT another man on the Democratic
State ticket, save de Baca and Jones, and very
l;ttlc was SAID about Mr.. Jones. Mcdonald,
i'll conrsny with Elk. Gov. Otero, visited every
county in the state, and covered Mr.. Bursum
with slime. So vile were they that 40 other
candidate on their ticket would travel in their
company, save Mr.. de Baca who made one
trip with them to the Pecos Valley. They sue
cecdcd in defeating Mr.. Bursum, but both Of
ernor Mcdonald was overwhelmingly re-
pldiated by the people of his own county, and
ran almost 5000 votes behind President Will
son in the state.
Now the action of the people interfered
materially with McDonald's plans. If their
will was carried out, he realized that he would
retire TO private life, and saw the chances Of
his going to the United States Senate slipping
away. What was he to do, in order to retain
his grir on the machine, and keep in the lime
light?
Subsequent events demonstrate that he
has not been asleep at the switch. Immediate
ly after the election, he appointed one Elmer
+. Veeder of Las Vegas legal advisor of the
Governor. What did he need a legal advisor
for; He had refused to appoint one after Mr..
Wade resigned, because he said he didn't need
one and would save the state the salary. After
he was defeated he only had two months to
serve, and had nothing to do save issue a few
acquisitions and sign commissions for notaries
pubic When the facts are known, his act is
readily understood.
Mr.. Veeder is perhaps closer to Gov,
Elect de Baca than any other man in the state.
He has, for years, been de Baca's legal and
political advisor.
An article in the Sundays issue of the
Albuquerque Journal let the cat out of the bag,
and throws an Illuminating light upon the
Governors action. This paper stated that Mr..
Elmer Z. Veeder, legal advisor to Gov. Nc
Donald, left for California to explain to Gov.
Fleet de Baca that he was in no danger Of
losing his office by failure to qualify on the
first of January, and that he could, with safe
ty, remain in California until his health was
such that he could return to New Mexico a
well man.
Auy doctor will tell the reader of this
t1&t pcrnicious anaenia is an incurable
ard that a patient afflicted with it will
certainly die within eighteen months
the time the disease is contracted. This
being true. the motive in sending the legal
to Governor Mcdonald to California
H. at once apparent. Mr.. Mcdonald does not
want Mr.. dc Baca TO take the oath of office,
once he takes the oath Mr.. McDon-
I'D become, a private citizen with no duties
IF q public nature to perform. He can not do
At,h toward furthering his chances of becom-
Hg United States Senator by herding and
branding cattle in Lincoln county. A man
DOESN'T get much notoriety punching cattle"
+ he attends strictly to his own business.
Hence he is trying, by every means possible.
o persuade Mr.. de Baca not to take the oath
If office, so long as his health is in such pre-
condition. Therefore, his legal ad-
'isor. and Mr.. de Baca's close friend, was dis
post haste to Los Angeles to assure
lie Baca that Governor Mcdonald would
luietly and peacefully surrender the office to