New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-01-11

o. matters POLITICAL, the Niaytnl
News" of January S makes The FOL
lowing remarks with reference e
Ralph c. Ely, food administrator 70
New Mexico, at the close Of Mr.
uys recent visit to Clayton:
Mr.. Ely's visit to Clayton is
sure to bear fruit. He is the right
nan in the right place. He is a
republican, too, but had you
noticed that that doesn't bother
the president when he is lJok-
ing for the proper mel for the
proper place.
Discussion OF MIR. Ely's fitness fol
the position to which he has b Ell
appointed is no part of our intention
The extraordinary statement which
we wish to challenge is that the
gentleman in question is n Repub,
lean.
Mr.. Ely was chairman of the Re
publican state central commit ee w
10 the time of the assembling Of
the Republican state convention, ir
Santa Fe, in August, 1916. Acting
as state chairman, he called the con
vention to order and presided unit
the temporary officers were chosen
Then, his tent folded in silence, h.
faded from the Republican landscape
A candidate for the nomination
for governor, he believed that HI hac
an excellent chance of success. Or
May q, he granted an interview &c
the writer, who was then the poll
EAl correspondent for the Ell Paso
Herald" and making a tour of the
state. The interview from which a
quotation is to be made was sub
mitted to him after it was wri ten
and was approved by him. In tina
i~nterview he said.
THE movement or thought
that ! represent will go into the
convention with the second larg-
est following" he declared.
DO you mean to say that you
will have more delegates than
one OF the so-called leading or
principal candidates?" he was ask
ed.
Il do" he replied. "My esti-
mate is that Secundino Romero
will be first, our movement will
be second, and H. o. Bursum will
be third. When our state CON
vention abolished the unit rule.
a great deal was done to help
my candidacy.
"For instance, | would feel that
! had failed signally in my appeal
to the people, if | should not be
able to secure the support of one
delegate in each of 20 counties"
This was what Mr.. Ely thought
Of his own candidacy some three
months before the convention. Less
than hree days before the owen
tion he was of the same opinion,
and rene wed this prophecy. How
the prophecy crumpled up is
now a matter of common knowledge.
Mr.. Bursum was nominated on the
first ballot. Mr.. Ely did not have
one delegate from each Of 20 coun.
ties. He did not have the d legation
from his home county of Luna, which
ungrudingly had been conceded to
him in many of the forecasts! His
name was not put before the con-
vention!
The state nominating body Of the
Democratic forces was convened in
Santa Fe a week later. Mr.. Ely de-
the keynote address in the
mocratic convention. His refer.
ences touching upon the Republican
party in New Mexico were far from
or %eulogistic. Through the
he continued to make
speeches which were not only in
favor of the Democratic ticket but
also strongly anti-Republican.
Mr.. Ely was appointed federal food
administrator for New Mexico, but
he is not a Republican. He was not
as a Republican. Thoso
1t Washington responsible for the
appointment were not working up
On the assumption that he was a
He is, and was, a Republican of
he same stripe that Miguel A. Otero
S, and was!