Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-10-20
Contest for GovemorShip a
Mystery That Political
proohet8 Find Difficulty in
Solving Satisfactorily
REPUBLICAN, BLUNDERS
HAVE HURT CANDIDATE
Friends Of Democratic Nomi-
nee Working With Might
and Main and Express Con-
ftdence of Victory at PoIIS'

,,,r,,,. eoRREsPoNDEHcE TO MORNING JOURNAL
santa Fe, oct. 19.-The most m.
.orosting and diverting little pastime
IN poltical circles in New Mexico to-
aay is Button, Button, Who's got the
Governorship Button? Z?
There are plenty of supposedly sa-
oaoious gentlemen who have made
,onr study of games like this and who
,,rofass TO be expert at playing them,
Who will tell you that this particular
mile game is the simplest ever put
out for solution, but in every case
NOV are gentlemen who have a strong
interest in having the game won by
one or the other candidates for the
governorship in New Mexico. Cold
hooded politicians who have studied
the situation solely with a view to as
certaining the probable outcome OF
tho election and who are not afraid
to tell YOU lust what they think con-
fees that the question is one OF the
most battling that has ever been put
M to the political prophet
month ago Bursum looked like
tho one best bet on either ticket. At
that time he was conducting some
thing of a still hunt for the office
was meeting the voters in his affablo
and genial way and was making de-
cided headway on what seemed to be
Almost a. cicsr track. Bets on Bur
sum we're freely offered in any amount
and at almost any odds, and there
we're few takers.
Times Have Changed.
But that was a month ago, ana
times have changed. Mr.. Bursum had
not at that time been handicaoued ny
campaign committee and press
bureau that seemed to feel it incum-
bent upon themselves to earn their
money by doing something-anythins
to keen him in the limelight. Also
the campaign for De Baca had not
then gotten well under way. DE
Baca had not gotten up steam ana
had not really begun to run.
Bursum's friends now privately con-
cede that his chances have been m
jured by bungling management ana
by bad advice on the part of his well
meaning but over-zealous and nJu-
dicious supporters. The incidents at
Soeorro when "a democratic poster ad-
vertisement was covered over with
paper and a moving picture theater
was prohibited from displaying slides
containing political advertisements
are specimens of the poor judgmen'
that has been used in furthering Mr.
Bursum's candidacy.
Perhaps the most conspicuous eX'
ample of this sort of bad manage
ment, however, is the attitude taker
by the republican candidate regard
ing attacks upon his record as super
intendent of the penitentiary. Th'
prevailing opinion is that the people
Of New Mexico were pretty well tree
of the sensationalism that character
lied the first state campaign in 19lI
and that a resort to the same sort o
tactics this year would have reacted
upon those using them. BY puttiHt
the world on notice, however, tina
any reference to his official record a
warden Of the territorial penitentlar.
would involve the penalty of a hbe
suit, Mr. Bursum has not only man
aged to attract attention to that rec
ord but has given his opponents tn
opportunity to argue that he is afral'
to meet the issue of an attack on tina
record-an opportunity that they haV
not been slow to take advantage of,
De Baca's Health.
Republicans who have been count
ing on the alleged poor health of Lieu
tenant Governor de Baca as cam
paign argument for Bursum have bee
compelled to confess their disappoint
ment. Mr.. de Baca is about the live
nest sick man that ever took tn
stump in political campaign, and
II Is true that his health was failin
at the t'Ne of his nomination the onl
conc to be drawn is that run
nlns for flee agrees with him won
ueHuAF for he has thrown him
sell into ght with as much vigo
Is any he other candidates an
looK tier now than he has 70
lone ie past.
ae nature of things Mr.. d
nsea candidacy is affected to a con
Ueraoie extent by the fight that tn
republicans are making on the ac
m'nlstration of Governor Mcdonald
wi lhe democratic candidate has bee
part of that administration, ha
sven 1t his whole-hearted approx;
pnu IS pledged to continue the M
conaId policies if elected governo
o,erhor Mcdonald is stumping th
ao'e IN behalf of Mr.. de Baca, VIII
lay wen be considered the legatee
ue MeDonald strength and the NJ,
'.'ld weakness in his own cand
LAY Tor the governorship.
me solution of the governorshi
~ r-14e depends upon two question
M me natives want a native governt
~ enough to rally to the suppo
1ne first of their race ever to |