The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-09-21
IN MYSTIC CIRCLE

M are reported to be saying a lot Of rather harsh things as they
travel about, concerning "bossism u, the repuonean parry,
accepting his nomination for governor, and in the speech he made on
the Alvarado steps on his return from the Las Vegas convention
There are some right serious issues before the people in this campaign
but Mr. Hanna makes his main issue that of "bossism IN the repuo'
lean party. while Mr. Putney blithely provides the comedy Offset.
If Mr.. Hannas judgment were as mature as his personal smbI
ton is vigorous he would perhaps speak a little more carefully about
this matter of "bossism which he appears to be employing to divert
attention from other issues which he does not seem to care to discuss
tion to a situation in his own present party utilization which IS caus
ing increasing reslessness among the rank and file of democrats and
among more than a few democratic leaders OF position and influence
who have, in recent years, found il increasingly difficult to penetrate
what has come to he known among democrats in New Mexico az "the
Mystic Circle 49,.
Chairman seligman is said to have warned Mr.. Hanna of this
danger, but apparently without success in diverting his candidate to
In the early days of statehood the Mystic Circle was a large
nd ? e a@na,;us =" ,nTa m"r S Sn "eu me." r%0 "s nar,v ,es" ees rssn Tsas
from their efforts and with success came a process Of elimination
the edging out Of the machine Of a man here and a man there. Curl.
ously enough the local and county leaders who ware eliminated from
the inner councils were principally from the strongly democratic
counties in eastern New Mexico. The party control, with constantly
increasing rapidhy, centered in the hands of a few men at Santa Fe
or in close and intimate relationship with that astute manipulation
Thus has been created the Mystic Circle, ;" which in New Mexico
democratic party politics ~ as absolute an autocraey as that which
Mr.. Wilson for a time maintained at Washington. 1t was the mas
ter mind Of the Mystic Circle which discovered Mr.. Hanna a few
not infrequent eruptons in Santa Fe county repubr :an politics, with
which the master mind has had a more or less constant connection
Mr.. Hanna was used as the fuse. He willingly switched his indig-
nation from the republican TO the democratic party and into a nom,
ination on the fusion ticket. The result was suspicious. It netted
Mr. Hanna a seven-year job and added a highly useful member to the
then rapidly concentrating Mystic Circle. Judge Hanna failed of re-
election to the supreme bench. although he made an active campaign
against an inactive opponent. lie was instantly supplied with the
pleasant and not overly laborious federal appointment he now en-
Joys, and his campaign for the governorship began. This campaign
was directed by the Master Mind. 1t was highly successful. II was
so successful that when the boys gathered at Las Vegas not a murmur
was heard when the fat went out that nobody else wanted the NOM
nation; - that sentiment was unanimous for Hanna"
Over at Roswell, at the earlier democratic state convention to
nominate delegates to San Francisco. the Mystic Circle staged a lit.
Inspired to Senator Joness job IS national committeeman and that a
row impended. II impended, with nm accompaniment of manufac.
tured thunder and lightning, just long enough to district attention
from the Mystic Circle against which very genuine thunders Of dis
content were heard. The local leaders on the outskirts were told that
his tyaa M tina IN fnO n HOht I'M Tint ovorvha6v fnncfh amman for
harmony. 1t worked. Senator Jones went right along in the old
job and so did 1r. seligman. So did Mr.. Hanna S candidacy. There
caused a committee TO be appointedto pick the other candidates to
run on the ticket with Mr.. Hanna.
No such example Of absolute party bossism has ever been given
in these parts IS was demonstrated in the convention where Mr..
Hanna nomination was ratified.
Outside of democratic party circles not much general attention
has been paid to the Mystic Circle, because, aside from the dahbu.
lion Of federal jobs, which the Mystic Circle has handled exclusively.
young life of the state of New Mexico. Mr.. Hanna, however, is put
ting on an advertising campaign which is bound to focus general at
tenhon on one Of the most efficient tight little personal political ma
chimes that ever fnnctioned in these parts. Now that the tumult of
nomination time is over and the local democratic leaders and the rank
and file are hopefully expected to function a steadily increasing
wonder is being expressed as to just who nominated Mr.. Hanna and
Up in Union county a violent eruption has followed the some.
bore the brunt of party combat in at least two sessions of the legisla-
ture but who, apparently, failed TO break into the Mystic Circle.
Over in the Pecos valley the rank and file and the local leaders are ex-
pressing a persistent wonder that once more all OF the major offices
have gone to counties that produce no democratic majorities, smews
been awarded in the attorney generalship, which went to a Young
man who had Just been refused a nomination for district attorney in
@Ths Master Mind" they are beginning to assert with iucreas.
ing vigor. works admirably in preserving the screen surrounding the
all these years of idealism and concern for the heart Of the world
whence come the calls to rally to the cause Of the solemn referendum
There isno charge among them that MI. Hanna is a boss. He is
regarded as an effect and not as a cause. The constantly increasing
question seems 10 be as to just how the effect was created. To put It
not unEindIy' but bluntly when NJ. Hanna talks Of "bossism," the
called upon to do the work, look at each other with wondering eyes
what do you know about thatio
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