The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-10-15
o THE LEGISLATURE

WE WOULD like to say a thoughtful word or two to thoughtful
w citizens about the campaign for the election Of members of the
~ legislature. II is a right important matter; this selection of men
TO make our laws 1t may well be decided on higher grounds than
their own statements and in the light of all the reliable information
that can be obtained about them, and measured for trustworthiness,
ability and courage. Those are the three standards.
There is a great deal more to this election than the qualification
We. who pay our taxes, large or small, must live under the laws the
legislature makes. We can listen to all the pattcr, all the truth and
leo legislatures have averaged up in intelligence and independence
with those Of other states, We can raise standards of course, and
we should and will do il. But we will not raise any standards If we
act upon impulse, partisan prejudice and inspired false estimates of
legislative candidates.
Remember that during the next legislative session the NEST i'm
portant Legislation of recent years must be considered and disposed
Of the complete revision of tax laws and revenue laws. There will
be, as a guide, the report Of an able non-partisan revenue commission.
That report will be worse than useless in hands that are not backed
by intelligence, ability, trustwOrthiness and courage.
Let us proceed to measure the legislative candidates in cold, calm
Judgment, and not the Judgment of politicians. The politicians will
be through when the ELECTION is over. We must do business with and
under what these Legislators give us as laws.
Take the case of our own county. There is offered us for the
state senate a choice between Rafael Garcia, the present sheriff, and
II. B. Jamison, q lawyer. No one has charged as yet that Jamison is
'bossed," probably because the democratic propaganda bureau has
not yet reached him in the rush of work they labor under IN assailing
other men. But we do know that Jamison il a trained thinker, a thor.
oughy educated man, a man of high ideals and demonstrated courage,
judgment of what is right in law, Sheriff Garcia is personally an
honest man. He pays his debts and provides for his family, and his
personal morality is beyond a single shadow of question. But in his
official capacity he permitted gambling, houses of prostitution and
Bookkeeping to flourish in this county until The Herald aud popular
Indignation drove him into activity. Garcia did not let these things
90 on because he approved OF them, or because he prohted by or
through them financially. lie winked at them because it was bad
his party in elections. Without any desire to reflect upon him or in
with him five minutes could hold that he has any broad grasp of pub.
lie questions or Of needs in legislation. He was put on the Hanna
IIubbcl ticket for the state senate because he is a hustler for votes,
has a personal following and can deliver something to help the
Eisnna-Iiubbel combination out. In the legislature he will do what
be is told by Seligman or some other democratic boss. No republican
boss can reach him, because his standards of political morality demand
his fidelity 10 bosses Of his own party. Nor is it charged that his
party bosses will seek to influence him to do wrong. They may not
and he might resist If they did. But which is best and wiscst for US
mot the democratic or the republican party, but for citizenship as
repressnted by you and met The man trained in thinking, trained in
mtsiigent CONSIDERATION oI law' ale . Teach ms own conclusions on , ana
with the courage to act upon them, or the man who viii be told, or
will Inevitably seek and take the advice of some one the people did