The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1916-10-27

Mcdonald as Governor Of Sew M.,r c' . IlCIn ct M now S,r w. On G
Al us, II 'I n oi "' J" the cattle business and a woman
Their aneIS are are plenty OF uncn,rs and others here in Governor
man M III a Uqsine't deal Indeed, il la, tor Years been Governor
mess Transaction HIS neteuOors conccdo it, and add that in deals
Governor McDo.' 'ls "'s sI.n I"@"S"' ,i f Sn, s' nv, mSr. is o5 IT, Ri.
own affair tie can make peace Win ts own conscience for hs
as s,h nv instrument i. ,, Win which q best his ucishOors and ns com
matter OF public concern 'GI r Gp :" , "r IA " " '''"eS d
Al least one instance where Governor Mcdonald thus per
,elted the high o'ucc ne has held at the head of the state gov.
eminent is .ho~n by the accom- runyug statement by AFR, Aiic,
The "NesnoO'y' Governor
oldtme . @a,IS of 10 Lincoln mv u"'t COMMIT, q. : , d" a1g ; ,H ~ GooaE, an
her father. he la, known her .lnce she Vas a gin, Al the H"m"
m nn5 , mS'" SHto O, GI .~ rGg Hy t2nd1g s. Ter the leasing OF state
,snAk' IN one ~ '9nt" ana prevented altogether In another, as
catgr She was SaTyms on as best she could the G affairs Of ' hor
Donald and his Wealthy syndicate. Since that time she has mar
As a prelude to Mrs. Mathews story t might be stated. in
explanation. that the las provides that government land selected
the State Land Commissioner. the Attorney General and the GOV
ro.slc '"g tw, n rprroI" - Is "a 10 IT. u~ niroi, I, . hGrctors IT. us
Mrs Mathews applications FOR selections There were no valid
Mcdonald oEen t' G aver" gS U t tmc nn r|rT T"i to Uo -
own. is told by MI. MATHEW. a. follows;
r, AS early a. ,gll , Gd some lands set aside o. selected, by
Tor AS Soon as til" lands were ready and could make oprhca
soon after the admission of New Mexico to statehood. be.
gan insisting to the tate land office that the lease upon the lands
personal interviews WITH the state land commissioner learned
suancc of this lease to T mS His objection was based on the
claim that the lease would shut off his cattle from some patented
Governor Mcdonald agreed that he would withdraw his pro
suggested by him., To have built the fence as suggested by GOV
enred land n the vicinity, and from the water there In Other
word word it would have pr G1 oln me ne from using ,M my oT W.. Iand but
a fence such as Governor Mcdonald suF3es,d. would also
have cut of my cattle from access to the National Forest wher"
part OF my stock were grazing and had been for years, and for
The state land commissioner endeayored to have Governor
question Of range rights and therefore might better be adjusted
Governor McDOnalds proposal to me was this: II I bought
his land holding there from him. he would Withdraw objection
pro'cs, to the State land Commissioner But Goycnor Mcdonald
asked such an eNorbitant price for his land that could not at
ford to pay It, He wanted $1,000 Tor poor land without permanent
After three years Of controversy, during which time Governor
Mcdonald would not withdraw his protest against the issuance
he was to use a part Of the land which had been selected for me
Upon that agreement he withdrew his protest and was per
mued TO lease the land from the state
In the meantime applied to the state to have additional lane
selected, for lease by me One application Vas sent t." the ."ig
land office in J9lnnary' lgis =; Another application G was m, MADE S.r in
~ Acting on the assurance OF the state land office that the
part Of the land in The winter OF l2l& When this fence was ~ oG'i
had GS a Fght ' To fen NJ them /" "''" ''"'''' " "' '"'' '"' '~'
Of the he field division OF the 4. :. General Land office, named
Charles b Barker, called upon me aud said he was making an
dcrs. he had examined the records at the Roswell land olrca and
found that part Of the land had fenced, was vacant government,
land and that, therefore, my fence was Illegal The special agent
told m II would De- MS NlA TO Whht "a Itloll Ol lt ltNNF ."
the t. ) district ATTORNEY, upon which a lawsuit looking to the
removal Of the fence could be taken. Later heard OF two more
specal land agents being IN the county for the purposo OF Invest
tigaing nv fence one OF them said he Was sent out especially
from the Department OF the Interior in Washington.
The final selection Of the land wanted to lease was up to
Governor Mcdonald His official approval Wa necessary " 90
could get the lease Governor Mcdonald withheld # ,and has
and made my fence Illegal suspect that he got the Interior De
partment to investigate the fence but he didn't insist mat the
l. 5 district attorney take court action about II That would show
Governor Mcdonald In the light OF preventing ne from getting
lease of this land So far as know, no suit was ever filed.
During the time IN, federal authorities were complaining
about INV fence. expected every day to hear that the Governor
had approved the selection and that Il had been hed win n
T. 5 land office, thus permitting lay lease and legaizing my
fence With the Governors approval Of the selection, the land
would have become state land, leased 10 me.
The state Land Commissoner and the Attorney General oouh
assured me that they had fiRued the selection OF ia" land M tht
Il was before Governor Mcdonald for his signature That was IN
March. lql8. For all know It is stll there, for Governor Nc
Donald has never approved the selection and has thereby pre-
vented nv lease 49,.
Governor Mcdonald. by HE refusal 10 sign my selection list
v,l upb ruined my cattle business This experience has shown
ma an Toe rIpprl, that MIR Mcdonald has used the office Of Gov
rrnor of Nv Mexico to further the interests Of his English cattle
.yndicots nv ridipR roughshOd over the rights OF his small CON.
uerirors and ms neighbors. What Is the USE Of trying TO compel
ON the ranges with his rich syndicHfe when be hods te oilce OF
Governor and uses II to prevent b. fellow cattle ranchers from
ertting u.ticr under the law lie did not want those selectonF
10 be made for me brcause by Withholding H. he could Keep the