New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-02-09
IS MCMANUS TO BE BOUNCED?

There are very persistent runcrs IN the
air to the effect that John ,. McManus will
not be retained, by the new appointing powers
as Superintendent Of the penitentiary
The Record believes that McManus is the
best material the democrats have for that
position and that they would do mighty well
for themselves to leave him where he is.
Gov. Mcdonald made two excellent ap-
pointrnents to important offices five years ago,
then he discounted them by making a lot of
others from just about the worst material he
could find, as demonstrated by their ineffi-
cheney. their extravaganza and, in soIne cases,
their plain crookedness and grating. for all of
which the people have paid exorbitantly, and
some of which they are still paying.
The two good appointments made were
the state engineer and the superintendent of
the penitentiary, Then he hampered both OF
them by using their offices, as far as he could,
for political advantage.
In the case Of French it is quite certain
that the governors political man pulations
were not taken very kindly, or carried out
very diligently, however, enough politics was
mixed with the road work to create consi-
derable dissatisfaction but most of it was
worked in by the county road boards. In
spite Of the handicap French has accomplish
ed a great deal and made an excellent personal
record. There is a general impression that
his administrative expense has been too high
and that work on the roads has not been
pushed as rapidly as it should have been in a
state that needs the development so badly
but we believe conservatism and a great deal
of "~trving-Out' were necessary to begin with,
and that the office is now in position to put on
mere speed.
In the case of McManus. the more poll
tics that could be mixed with his job, at
the suggestion of the governor, or any one
else, the better he liked it. If the sugges-
tons did not come fast enough McManus al
WAYS had an abundant supply of his own
political schemes to draw on, and being a
democrat Of the school that believes that the
end ~iustifies the means, any means, no mat
ter how mean. he has always been exceed
ingly busy. But in spite of his political mix
ing, and a few cases that SAVIOR of careless
ness, and a few Others in which the system
in vogue has been shown to be unnecessarily
harsh toward convicts, he has made a good
official.
The expense of running the institution
has been reasonable, such improvements and
construction as have been authorized and pro-
vided for by the Legislature have been carried
out efficiently and well. Escapes have been
few and discipline good.
A change in either of these offices would
in all probability, be a change for the worse,
and would therefore be of political advantage
to the republican party. But as individual tax
PAYERS, republicans are very much in favor
of their retention, as against the appointment
of some of those who are now seeking the
places. This is particularly true of the ST.
perintendent of the penitentiarv, for which
position there are a~spirants at this time who,
if they were given justice. would be wearing
stripes within the walls of that institution.