New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-10-29
Merritt c. AseAsn-The Ms
By AArs. Alsxandss Street.
OF Tucumcari, N. N.

Americas ablest editors these word
appeared:
lust now the world needs a regu
lar Moses who is strong on law AM
order and who know the rout'
through the Red Sea-a Leadership
OF fact, work and example"
New Mexico has a man who quail
flies for such leadership in Merritt I
Mechem.
Judge Mechem has been going VI
and down the state of New Mexic'
talking to the people. He has beei
talking 70 them about his policies
his aims and the plans he thinks viii
benefit New Mexico and as h
has talked in his quite, earnest way
knowledge of his strength, HI
courage and his sincerity of purpos'
has spread and taken deep roo, IL
the minds Of the people.
/ want to quote the well know
anecdote of Napoleon.
Once when Napoleon was reeeiy
ing an unusually large number o
letters from Vox Populi, protesting
! against the way in which he wa
making history, he told Bourriennt
to take a month off and let the mai
accumulate. When the letters wer'
opened at the end of thirty days j
was found that the most of then
had been answered by the passag'
of time and required no further at
tention."
Judge Mechem is one OF the few
who are big enough to pass oveI
personal attacks that are without
foundation and to go before the
people as a candidate to present
them his aims and ambition in tho
public service without expressing
antagonism for opposing factions
Like Napoleon of old, Judge Ne.
chem believes that time will answer
satisfactory the less important
questions.
Eighteen years ago i'll health
caused Merritt c. Mechem, then q
young attorney 70 leave his home in
Fort Smith, Arkansas and come tc
New Mexico. In March, 1904 he
cast his lot with the people Of Tu-
cumcari, then a very small frontier
1t was a time when politica
lines IN this section were 81 di1nly
drawn that all the horses grazed il
the same pasture. At that time thC
idea still prevailed hat every mar
is a law nto himself, and the quick
ness of the trigger constituted the
open sesame 10 the best society" Il
was a time when the paramount is
sue was the upbuilding of Tucumcar
and surrounding country and the es'
enlistment Of law and order.
Mechem at once became n o
the Bunch" as the little band o
town builders and pioneer develop.
ers were known. They were mer
banded together for honorable oh.
jectives and united in a great efforr
TO accomplish them. 1t was a situ'
alton that brings men close together
establishes mutual confidence and
friendships between men that moth
ing Ear weaken or destroy.
On the third day after Mechem'i
arrival in our little town a double
murder was committed--one Of tn,
most brutal in the history Of thu
frontier days. One of "the bunch
who was serving under appointment
as Quay county's first sheriff, re
quested the strange attorney to hell
prosecute the casa service no
wholly without personal danger bu
which Mechem promptly performed
efficiently and without eompensa
ton.
Mechem's wise counsel and fair
ness OF mind was a much neede'
asset 10 this little band of 'aw-abid
ing citizens. When the time cam,
for the appointment Of a district at
torrey he was the unanimous choicl
OF these men for the place. In thi
c. pacity he ser ed with such energ,
aud courage that his name became
terror 10 the lawless. He led il
the effort which drove lawlessnes
out of Quay county and establishes
law and order there. He served a
a member OF the legislature iron
Quay county in 1909 and rename
in Tucumcari until his appoint
ment as judge of the territorial su
preme court which necessitated hi
removal 10 Socorro. the district q
which he was assigned and wher
he has been repeatedly re-eleote0
since statehood He has AWAY
ness and wisdom that made him on.
OF the most useful builders OF Tu
.cun,cari's pioneer DAYS Tine "oi
bunch" at Tucumcari has always fol
lowed with keen interest and peid
"Meche's" career-for he is one q
them. He has always retained hi
pioneers faith in the future OF Tu
cumcari and continues to own tn
property in Tucumcari and Qua,
county acquired during his resi-
dence here.
"Meehe" Comes Back
On the evening Of October IS. iS2
"Meche" came back to Tucumca-i
As he walked down the isle OF tn
II. and H.. theatre with more thai
fifteen hundred pairs OF eyes upot
him. a distinguished citizen Of hi
state and the candidate of one o
the great political parties for cover
nor, names, audience and party line
faded from before the Eyes of tn
"Old Timers" and in their stea'
came a panorama of memories o
other years, as they listened throuol
the quiet, ~foreeful, reassurini
As Judge Mechem told the peopl
of his pledges, his plans and hi
hopes for New Mexico one coul
hear the "old timers" whisper {,
each other. Same old Meche" an,
as they said il no sincerer words o
approval could have been uttered
because it was their way of sayinl
20 themselves and each other tina
here, in a larger sphere, is the sam
quiet forceful man who alway
stood with us for what was wises
and best and who never lacked tn.
courage 10 back up his stand. Judg,
Mechem, candidate for Governor a
The November election. is the sam
old Meoht" that we knew in tn
pioneer days, a man whose recor,
IS filled with the business OF living
the principles OF justice. who is a