Albuquerque morning journal., 1918-09-26
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2s. 1918
ruE GENERAL STAFF mUNDERs

:
The democratic state convention OF
New Mexico will begin deliberations
TODAY. Also the delegates will take
stock of the condition of the party mi
This state. The nominations VIII Dei
made on the floor of the convention
The stock taking will be done through
exchanges of views between the aeie-
gates
While the resolutions adopted VIII
have the usual points with pride and
views with alarm" in them, the dele
gates win fully understand that tle
democratic general staff, like the Ger
man general staff, has made some
blunders
The general staff, by the way, con-
sists of senator A. A. Jones' state
chairman Arthur seligman and state
secretary 7. j. Guilfoil. They are the
mon who have directed the strategy OF
the party since the last election.
The main effort of this high COM
mand was 10 draw strength from the
republican party, in addition to hold
ing the independent republican vote.
The first move in the game of STRAIT
epy was the naming, on recommends
tion OF senator Jones and secretary
Guilfoil, of Ralph G. Ely, former
chairman OF the republican state
central committee, to the very IN
portant position of state food admin
istrator. Mr.. Ely had been a candi-
date for the republican nominauon
for governor and after two years oi
strenuous work, had failed to get
single delegate to the republican state
convention of 1916. Ely took the
stump that year against the repuol'
can party. He looked good TO ths
general staff.
During his stay with the food ad
noinistration Mr. Ely was constantE
under fire, but senator Jones held hin
in the lob. But "ye who have tear
10 shed, prepare to shed them now
TIv is no longer with the food admin
istration. Monday his retiremen
from the position of state adminstra
for was announced, and Tuesday n
hacked his grip and hied himself 10
ward San Francisco, where for som
months or possibly for some years II
will make his home His silver voic
will not warble for the democracy o
New Mexico this year Blunder no. !
The next move was the appointment
of Miguel A. Otero to the marshalshi
of the Panama Canal zone. Mr.. Oter
was a candidate for republican nom
inAtion for governor at the first stat
convention, and failed to connect wit
any considerable number Of delegates
He fought the party in the sucqeedln
election campaign. The demoerau
general staff thought he would brin
into the fold large number OF natiV
voters. But it worked the other wa'
In spite of the fact that his appoh
ment was known to be unpopuld
with a large number of Spanish Amer
lean democrats, and popular with nor
of them Mr.. Otero was brought non
n assist in guiding the democrat
interests in this state this year. NO
n Is known that his presence is
positive detriment. Biunder NO. z.
The next move was for the siu
tracking of congressman Walton IN u
interest OF chief justice Hanna Tor u
senatorial nomination. Chief justl
Hanna is so recent convert to q
mocracy that he never has made pu
Ic announcement that he is dem
crat. That, the general starr regard
in his favor, and the plan to nomlha
the ndee for the senatorship W
working with the smoothness OF
Corless engine. It was tipped Off trC
washington that Jones was not
,,orable to Walton. 1t is known u
the senator and the congressman We
not cordial Not postmaster
named to succeed himself, thou
most of them were holding over
more than year. This was not
cident but a vital part of the gene
staffs strategy. The postmasters W.
TO take orders or new postnast
would be named. The same was 2
of practically all other federal
pointees. except the marshal. IN
were to be lined up against Walt
and most Of them were talking
what splendid race judge Hai
n,.ta ,,1aka for the senate.
Then the Judge had to make !
Estancia speech in which he prai
The patriotism of William Rando
Hearst, and a storm Of angry prot
arose from all parts Of New Mex