Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-04-24
POLITICIANS AND BUNK.

During the charter campaign 1t was
something of a habit among speakers
and takers to denounce politicians
Probably the best definition Of the
word politician. as these men used the
term. is any man who takes active
interest in the advancement of any
one of the political parties, in the WIN
ming of elections or in the promotion
of legislation.
The effort seems to be to create
distrust of all men who take interest
IN public affairs. But without such
men the proud record made by the
government of the United States from
the DAYS of Thomas jefferson and
Alexander Hamilton--both consum-
mate politicians-to the present time
would have been impossible.
But these takers and speakers
seem to think that we have a pecu-
liarly bad breed of politicians in New
Mexico. While there was no politician
advocating the new charter, men who
had spent their lives in seeking Office
were shouting warnings against allow
ing the city to again fall into the
hands of the politicians.
Like business men, lawyers and doc
tors, some politicians are good men
and some are not good; but every
politician who has any degree of sue
cess in the game scrupulously keeps
his word. That is his capital. 1t
makes no difference how much money
a politician has at his disposal, he
cannot win more than one time unless
people recognize that his word in all
political matters is as good as. his
bond.
Let us take the leaders in New
Mexico of both sides. The leading
politicians on the democratic side
since statehood have been A. A. Jones,
w. C. Mcdonald, until his death, Sum
mers Burkhart (before he became
district attorney, w. B, Walton, A. "A.
Hudspeth, and Arthur Seligman. the
word of any one of these men on a
political matter has always been as
good as his bond could be in a bust
ness matter.
On the republican side the leaders
have been Holm o. Bursum, Solomon
Luna, until his death, A. B. FALL John
Clark, w. H. CLEARWATER, Charles
Springer, Charles A. Speis and Eduar-
dodo Otoro. There never was time
when the word of any one of these
men on political matter would not
be accepted at face value by friend or
enemy.
Furthermore, not one of these men,
democrat or republican. has sought
the enactment of legislation that he
regarded other than for the best in
terest of New Mexico.
There has been some criticism of
the activities of Bursum and Springer
during sessions of the New Mexico
legislature. Because of their expert
ence and judgment the state is many
hundreds of thousands of dollars bet
ter off because of the presence OF
these two men in Santa Fe.
Generally the men who indulge in
denunciation of politicians either dc
not know what they are talking about
or they are trying to ride into office
by the demagogue route.
Now and then it becomes a fad to
denounce "bossism' and political
machines The "boss' is usually a
man whose good judgment and en-.
ergy entities him TO leadership. and
the political machine is the party or
ganization which makes it possible to
win against the other party organiza
ton.
The men who denounce party or
CARNATIONS are usually those who
cannot use the party organization to
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