The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-08-05

was. In many respects. a much better
government for New Mexico than
our present government. II you
could arrange for an elective state
governor to have the powers form
eriy held by m appointive territorial
governor land this Is about what the
cOmmitte recommends) you would,
with our representatives In the feder-
al congress have an infinitely better
arrangement than either our former
territorial government or our present
state government. This seems GER
tain.
why. some will ask, should the
people be trusted to select better men
for the governors Job II they are TO
have vastly Increased appointive n
executive powers than Is now III
case? II the sovernOrship can be
made the plaything OF politics now,
would Il not. they ask, be infinitely
more so then. when so much more
would be at stake?
Perhaps 80, but | do not believe It
would. ! believe and many believe,
that the voters OF both parties. when
they were choosing a ticket with but
one or two names on II. would go at
that choosing In quite n different
way from the way they now go at It
with a dozen or more names on tho
ticket. Now. tho idea Is to get a well
rounded ticket. n nicely balanced
slate. Tie tern SLATE" itself indi-
Gates the idea. II brings TO mind a
slate school contest in my carly
youth. Each kid had an ornamental
theme TO enzross on his slate; neatly.
symmetrically, tremendously. with
fancy borders and touched up here
and there with colored crayons-
dashcs of iavender-to catch the
judges eyes. So IL often IL with tho
political slate and she governors
name may be written In In letters Of
pcari-but the real lavender and rose
colors be used quite elsewhere DO
you get me?
The Way OF the Rantcrs.
wish | could adequately convey
To your readers minds what I feel
to be one basic truth about this thole
government. taxation, revenue busi-
ness. Mr.. Rodey says the Taxpayers
association are p~ussyfooters. He
rants about the railroads and M
handles the mines and declares that
direct primaries will deliver us from
the devil. He says everybody Is evad-
Ing taxes except those who haven't
any property to pay OF and that IN
nearly true. lie stresses all these
points very dlstressfully. But n
thing he does not strebs is this. that
way down at the bottom OF II all 'he
fault lies largely within ourselves.
We are individually not honest, not
sincere about this matter OF govern
ment. We do not each one say and
do what we know to be true abou. IT,
We let things slide along when IL
comes to the pinch. And no ttre-eat-
ing radicals. no dreamy ideelihts. no
taxpayers association, no revenue
commissions, no Legislators will sue
coed In doing much more than ad-
minister temporary ~palliatives, tran
STORY and fleeing In their effeets,
unless the people themselves. h
weight and mass and majority of the
people-the trustees OF tho governing
company. actually want good, conser-
They will got 1t II they want II, FOR
IL Is not a very complicated matter.
|: you go straight. But Just 80 long
ns we are willing to stand for mol
~flciercy, waste. duplication. disorder,
iuliarmony and many other lesser eN-
lis In our government, for the sake
OF ,ur politics. just 30 l. NJ are the
people FURNISHING the money going
To- resort 10 every possible expediei /
tn avoid tax.s. M Just 20 long. 90.
are most OF the best men going TO
k,or out OF public office.
Would II be well fJr the coming
pc!it' cal conventions to carefully
seish these matters?
~kinoeIely yours,
II. j. Hagerman.
President II Association,