The evening herald., 1917-09-19
MisslcD rus MARK.
ny N. c. Iferby.


The charter campaign is not very
old. but is IL waxing warm pnd already
bears many o. the ear marks OF some
of the acrimonious contests for which
Aibuauerque has been famous in the
years gone by The Indications nj
this writing are tina, the boys are
going 20 get a run for their money be-
tween now and election day. which Is
slated for next Tuesday. and that the
cisnlpaisn is not TO be void OF the
Dsiiiian, pyrotechnic display which
has been 30 prominent in some Of
our municipal elections in the past.
For instance lie No. l has been
started on its way and nailed. /, has
been charged tina, Mayor westerfeId
having read the handwriting on the
wall to the effect that the charter
would carry. had decided TO line M
with those who are In favor of IL and
in case the voters ratify IL on Sep
tember 2S II was his intention to be-
come a candidate Tor commissioner
believing that the proper place to &c
for information was to headquarters.
] went down and called on the mayor
Monday afternoon. asked him the
plain question IL he expected TO run
He replied:
-You may say that ! emphafIcsIly
deny that ! am a candidate for COM
missioner. ! was not n candidate for
mayor The people put me TO the
front My future course Will depend
entirely upon subsequent develop.
ments. However nave never told
anyone that would be a candidate
for commissioner. and unless the sit
uation changes I do not intend 20 run
The mayor ought TO know what hs
is talking about. In his conversation
he seemed 10 be entirely rational and
spoke without eqnivocation or stutter-
ing. He was not under a spell. aud
] had no reason TO believe at tho time
or since, that he was not speaking the
truth.
I wonder " other statements made
by the charter opponents come a.
near to the truth as this one dId7
The charge has also been made that
In case one or more OF the commits
Eioners should recalled the common
pee-pul would have no voice In choos.
Ing the one or two men who would bs
appointed 10 fili the vacancies. hu
shat men OF Influence In business
would get the ear of the remaining
commissioner or commissioners ant
bring great influence TO bear upo'
the naming OF a man or men 10 III
the vacancy or vacancies. This. a
least. ought 10 suit those who ar
leading the OPPOSITION TO the charter
Being stepped In party politics thel
should be fully cognizant Of all th'
tricks 81 the trade. II Is a well-know,
fact that the so-csiled "commoi
geezer" has seldom gotter : :ifeee"
look. politically. In this country in IN
past. unless Il was during campaiai
when. of course an candidates claim
20 be friends OF the proletaria; and er'
as free with their weil-wishes as IN
kaiser is with his iron crosses.
Bat getting back 10 the question
what's the matter with The plebeia
class elecling an or a majority o
the commissioners in the first place
There would he no objections to thei
representatives entering the oommls
sionership race, and with the lars
railroad vote. coupled with the yot
Of other laborinE men. IL is quit
likely that they could II they hun
together. swing the election IN thei
favor. This has been done IN an
past. not IN elections for commission
ers. but IN choosing eouncilmen. scY
eral times We have had santa Fe en-
ployes on the council. and they d.
charged their duties in a satisfacior
manner In fact. We violate no con
ndenee when we say that there IL No
q single millionaire on the presei
council. That body IL made up Of
representative class Of citizens. an
thore h no apparent reason at ihl
time why the same would not be 'rh
Of tho commissioners whom We woul
choose
There Is a vital point Ia connee 40
with the charter which many peopl
do not understand. The impression ha
gotten abroad that % per cent of IN
voters can recall a commissioner. TN
~ false conception of the matter
aIu