New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-08-23
OTERO ARRIVES
AND DEMOCRATIC
3SHELL GAME OPENS
EX REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR
ON THE JOB TO DIRECT
OPERATIONS OF NEW MEX
ICO DEMOCRATS. AUTHOR
IZED BY THE BOSSES

The Democratic State Central Com
mittee met at the State Capitol
Building yesterday afternoon with d
fair attendance. The gathering had
been carefully planned by Chairman
Arthur Seligman, one of the most
astute politicians in the state, to
meet Immediately after the arriS OF
the ernissary of the national admin
istration, Ex-Gov. M. A. Otero.
| Up to thirty days ago it was the
hope and expectation of the faith
full that Senator Jones would be in
the state to supervise the selection
of the ticket and the campaign, but
later plans were devised by Dem
ocratic national leaders to keep con-
gress in session until after all the
convention complete their labors
This arrangement prevents all sem
ators and representatives from 60
ing home to look after their cam
paigns, the home interests of DEM
ocratic members are to be looked af-
ter by prominent Democratic ap-
pointive officials, who are being Civ
en- leaves of absence for that pur-
pose. at regular pay, and in some
cases expenses. while the Republican
members are allowed to conduct their
campaigns by mail, quite a liberal
concession.
Following out this efficient plan
Hon. Miguel A. Otero. U. S. Marshal
for the Canal Zone, was called from
! there to take charge of the New
Mexico situation. Mr.. Otero arrived
in, Wa n rko ,kNs,f tx.,o a1s
and after nine days spent there in
conference with Mr.. Jones and the
administration came on out to per-
form his mission. arriving in Santa
Fe, Monday evening, where he i'm
mediately began holding conferences
with prominent Democrats and can
didates.
At the committee meeting yester-
day afternoon Mr.. Otero was by all
odds the most important figure and
his advice and suggestions were fol-
lowed explicitly, as we'll they might
be for there are few men who have
been able to turn political defeat in
to profit and position as often as he
has. Thrust from an obscure clerk
ship in a bank into office as
Republican governor in 1897 he sue
ceeded in building up a very COM
plete political machine, one far more
personal than Republican, which af-
ter seven years. in the fall of 1904,
he personally and of his own free
will smashed into several thousand
pieces by defeating Hon. B. S. Rodey
for denomination to congress. About
this time more charges were filed
against him by Democrats than any
other man who ever held office in
the state supported by voluminous
affidavits, all aggregating some 1000
pages. Two years later President
Roosevelt refused to reappoint him
governor and It was the unanimous
opinion of the political wise acres
that he was politically dead. Vain
guess-in 1908 he was back in another
lat office-State Treasurer under
Republican administration of Govern
or Mills.
In 1911 he was candidate for the
Republican nomination for governor.
Failing to secure it he bolted the
convention and as an Independent
assisted in electing Gov. Mcdonald,
who rewarded him with another Of
flee which lasted him until tie fall
of 1916, when he was the Democratic
candidate for State Auditor. Defeat
ed by the votes of the people, as
he had been for State Senator, and
other positions, he again succeeded
in landing an appointment-U. S.
Marshal for Panama, position which |
is said to carry $1,000 salary, free /
rent, free service and Opportunities"
No doubt a man of Mr.. Otero's abil-
ity will make use of the opportuni-
ties.
Considering all his experience and
political successes, it is doubtful if
the admins stration could have found
any one at all comparable with him
to supervise the New Mexico DEM
ocracy. Mr.. Otero never follows. he
either leads or sulks. With the ad-
back of him there will
be no necessity for sulking He will
ead. He will dictate from A to z.
And there are few more artistic die
.ators in politics. He has the knack
If sitting all over his opponent after
which the latter is never quite sure
ust where he was sat on. That is
what he is expected to do with the
Democratic party in this state-cover
he whole situation and leave no sore
'pots. There is no doubt of his
lbility to do it There is little doubt
,ut what that party will take its
nedicine-individually and collective
The first job cut out for Mr. Otero,
" the administr 1tion is to eliminate
Ar Walton from the senatorial race.
There does not seem to be any par
ocular reason for this only that "Mr.
ones does not want him." The best
'ffer they have made him is that he
stay where he is" which Mr.. Wal
on's integrity does not permit him
o do as he has long since promised
dr. Antonio Lucero, to support him
or that place and means to do so
whether his share of the Walton
.ucero combination bears fruit or
Tot. Mr.. Otero's work yesterday
vas with view to stacking the !
ards in such a manner as to defeat
Ar. Walton. |.
After the preliminary announce
1ents and the reading of the call the
ommittee selected Santa Fe as the
leeting place for the convention and
1T the time for same to the execu- I
i've committee so as to enable them j
D fix the time after the Republican {