El Nuevo mexicano., 1916-07-27
Reforming 1t

The state chairman Of the Republican
party, whose attacks upon and exposures
OF the rOttenness OF the Republican ring IN
this state have caused us coneiderapie JOY,
makes a somewhat lengthy reply to an edi-
torial in the Albuquerque Evening Herald, 2
copy Of which is published in this paper.
Phe New Mexican has been giving Mr.. Ely
considerable space for the reason that 1t
believes unusual weight attaches to the de-
nunciation OF a party machine when the
denouncing is done by the titular head OF
the organization Of that party; and because
Mr.. Ely has been so brutally frank and cor
rect in his diagnosis of the disease which
has SO long afflicted the party in New Mex
leo. When a party gets into sucn Dad
shape that its own chairman must needs
arise and hold his nose it is in q parlous
state.
AS to the chairman's idea that the Pro
gressives should get into the primaries ana
reform the Republican party Of the state,
we have our grave doubts as to the practl-
cability of the proposition, although
there are a few counties in which
it might succeed. They got out of
the organization because Of the appar-
ent hopeIessness Of the task of doing any
thing inside. They at least accomplished
more, outside, than has been accomplished
for a good many years.
AS to the 'InvisibIe Government" to
which Mr.. Ely alludes, 1t isn't so Invisible
as it might be. Pretty nearly everyone
knows what corporations Mr.. Fall and Mr.
Hawkins and their candidate Mr.. Bursum
represent; there is no very widespread ~
~norance as to the corporations Mr. Springer
and Mr.. Van Houten and Mr.. Spiess ana
their lay figures represent; the state Is
quite well aware Of the fact that the states
men who arrive early at the Legislative
sessions and open headquarters are not
members of either house; the only thing
secret is the actual proceedings at the
councils Of state, where the legislation is
outlined and decided upon; the leading
strings are always visible, you can always
see the puppets move, you know who they
are, everyone knows who they are and VINO
is pulling the strings; whether this candt'
date orl that candidate is nominated you
can generally feel quite sure that an amic-
able arrangement has been made-always
to the advantage Of the s~o-calied "Invisible
Government which wins going or coming.
AS to the impossibility of the Democrats
and Independents controlling the legisla-
lture, impossible is a big word. It was
necessary for the bare majority to do some
pretty raw and violent work at the last
session to get by. II was a close thing for
the majority. A few more votes here and
there in electing the members n the
majority would nave been a minority. The
senate at present is a little difficult; but an
Ianti-Republican majority in the house would
make things exceedingly interesting for the
senate,
Going into the caucus and voting doesn't
always get you somewhere. We believe Mr..
Ely himself cites the case of Bernahlo
county, where contesting delegation after
delegation has demonstrated the futility OF
caucus reform.
we believe the number of honest, square,
decent Republicans in the party in this state
is large enough to absolutely dominate and
control the party if it wants to. It has
been large enough for twenty years; but It
Mr.. Ely, we fail to see how these Republi-
cans are going to suddenly harken to his
clarion call when they have been deaf to
SO many others. 1t is the otherwise intelli-
gent and reasonable Republicans whose
regular kowtowing to the so-called lnvisa
fbIe Government; whose meek submission
to the owers that be haye perpetuated
these powers. Not to speak too dogmatical
lily, we are at least gravely apprehensiye
lest the Herald is right in its conviction
that licking the eternal daylights out of the
Republican ring and exterminating it is the
only sure cure. We, moreover, fear just as,
gravely that the day is coming when this
state is going Democratic to stay that way
for a generation, simply and solely by
treason of the fatuous. blind. pig-headed folly
of the men who. allow their party to be
exploited year after year for the selfish ag-
grandizement Of a small group Of men to
whom the principles Of the Republican party
are less than the little end Of nothing,
whitfield down to a point and broken of.