El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-05-10
Your Move. Gentlemen

MI vAONS 9(1Al4SAAROAA tftpH
Since the present state and national emer-
gency became acute and 1t became neces-
sary for New Mexico to bend her every Of
fort toward public defense and preparedness
and to increase the crop production, tho
New Mexican has subordinated its politics
to the policy Of working as tremendously
as possible with everyone in the state, re-
gardless of p~artisanship, for the common
end. Wf4sa88 sN8st ixtH FfA 81. M aE ss
The New Mexican assumed that the en-
envy would do the same and was at least
determined to give 1t every opportunity to
do so. We went SO far as to intimate to
mutual friends that we would agree to a
truce for the period of the war or the
states emergency; to work for New Mex
leo along the same lines and for the same
end as whatsoever of our political enemies
became active in the war work. without
criticism of their activities and ignoring
party lines.
The New Mexican has heard it limited
in the past twentyfom hours that the gen
tlemen who have been trying to put this
newspaper out of business, regardless of
our position in this crisis, and regardless
of the present vital need of state harmony,
are going ahead with further measures de-
signed to accomplish the suppression,
wreck, ruin, humiliation, determination and
maceration of the New Mexican. The idea
as we get it seems to be that the New
Mexican's activity in seeking to help the
general cause of New Mexico's welfare and
safety at this time, and it's supposed relax
alton Of vigilance and readiness offers a
favorable opportunity for further aggression
by the political powers Of. evil in New Mex
leo against the one publication which they
hate and fear.
If it turns out that this is the case we
termination to call a truce and go after
these gentry again in kind.
In its fight the New Mexican has been
the victim several times GIFTS own credu-
lous faith in. some supposed remnant Of
honor or decency among the members of
the gang which it has been fighting.
When the present state situation arose
we were again so gullible as to believe
patriotism might relegate their activities
to the background.
Perhaps we should not forget that patriot
ism is the last refuge of scoundrels.
We have even heard the incredible state
ment in the past two days that a political
boss has been working for a big road levy
iii the public defense act IN order to get a
dirty, contemplate little graft OUT of it for
himself.
The New Mexican is fortunate in the fact
that even in such a crisis, when the paper
and all its staff, clear down to the printers
apprentices, have been working overtime,
individually and collectively, doing their
BIT to aid the preparedness campaign, it
can take up again the gauntlet Of the politi-
cal ~tgangsters of this state without varying
from its program of patriotssm. If there can
be any truer patriotism than the fight to
put these men out of New Mexico politics,
we are mistaken.
Now, let's have an understanding
again. W
We canvassed the situation thorough
iy at the beginning Of this year. After
mature deIiberation and counting all
possible contingencies, we state again,
definitely and finally, that Their. Us no
measure in the power Of these men,
officially or privately. secretly Or pub
iicIy, which can "put the New Mexican"
out Of business.r 1t is not in their power
to humiIiate or deter any member Of
the staff of this newspaper or to change
It's policy, by any possible resort, how
ever desperate, reckless and furious It
may be. There Is not a gutter In the
bunch There is not a man who can be
frightened. The New Mexican is pre-
pared to finance this fight to the finish.
II Is prepared to carry II on even In
the midst of a national and state emer-
gency and expose the men who would
prostitute the peoples crisis to their
own profit.
The New Mexican believed we should all
forget it" during this critical time. Every
issue of this paper since the crisis arose
has been a demonstration Of this belief. If
the other side would rather go to the mat,
wen and good.
II the Republican party organization or
any of its factions wants to start a fight
with the New Mexican now, we will accom-
modate it. If it repudiates our assumption
that there was to be no politics in prepared
ness, we will put that assumption aside and
assume that the party leaders who are act.
i've in the preparedness propaganda are
there for partisan purposes and to further
selfish interests, and be governed accord
ingly.
If there are sane men in the organization
who see the criminal folly of starting a
political fight on this paper now, and II they
don't want trouble, let them call it off.
We are as willing today as a month ago
to bury the Ratchet during the time that
New Mexico and America demand the fun
est measure of patriotic, unselfsh endeavor
from every son and daughter; endeavor
which in common with the people of the
state we have been attempting to the bes
of our capacity, individually, as a cor.
poration and a newspaper. We have swal-