The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-10-31

AN old saw TO the general effect that
1&tter to bc safe than TO be sorry. There
three state officers TO hc elected next
<ay whose duties are strictly business duties
10 have. or should have no partisan obligations
or partisan duties to perform. and who WI be un-
safe officers ia the important jobs they hold II they
enter those offices with partisan obligations and
partisan duties Because when men have obliga-
lions and duties of u partisan character they gen
orally attend to those duties and obligations before
they attend to the public business. That is the
rule. While there are exceptions, this Is no time
10 be taking q chance Oh drawing an exception,
when we know we can make q safe and sure choice.
The State Land office handles an annual rcvc.
nue. of more than q million dollars. 1t has direct,
practically unrestricted direction Of ten million
acres of land, almost every acre of which II IN i'm
%perative demand for the uses of the livestock and
Farming industries upon which tins state depends
for the bulk of its wealth production. That office
is no place for an active politician or n man who
makes a business of politics. II is a job for a
business man. Nelson A. Field is an efficient bust
ucss man. He knows very little about politics, and
will forget all about politics when hc gets into the
land office. lie did not seek the nomination for
land commissioner. and he owes no political debts
or obligations of any kind. He is free to do what
is right and he will do il. George 4. Davisson. his
opponent. is an active politician. lie beat u more
competent democratic aSpirant for the nomination.
because he was able 10 make a convention cOmbind-
ton the combination which produced Walton for
the Senate, Garcia for Governor, and DayissOn for
Land Commissioner. 4 man cannot come. out Of
such a convention combination without obligations.
He may be able to fulfil them aud remain within
the public interest and he may not Moreover Mr..
Davisson is making the same kind Of a campaign
which defeated him two years ago a campaign in.
volving obligations TO friends and hackers. Those
obligations may be fulfilled without crossing the
public interest,-but there should be no obligations
10 fulfill in this particular office. Mr.. DavisSon
during the past two years has been an active bidder
and a buyer OF state lands. There has been nothing
whatever irregular about either his bidding or his
buying. He had the same right To bid and buy as
any other private citizen. But the land commis
sioner has no such right and should be engaged IN
no such activity. Good judgment points TO the cleo
ton of Field.
The fact that he appoints the travelling auditors
Is alone enough 10 make it essential that politics bc
Kept out of the auditor office. Marcos {. de
Baca is a politician. He has made his living out of
politics for half his lifetime. He was nominated aS
a politician and for what he could deliver. or for
what his hackers thought he could deliver in san
doval county votes. He lacks business training He
has had thorough political training. What will bee
The natural tendency IN u man of such training IT
will be toward political obligations and advantage
first and that simply will not do in the choosing
OF the met on whose fairness and integrity res,
the financial rectitudc of the counties. the state
departments, the public institutions of New Mexico.
Edward Sargent, on the other hand, Is a business
man of long, successful experience. He knows a
competent auditor because he hires competent audi