The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-08-17
New Mexico
Politics
(From the Ell Paso Times
Demooratic)

1t Is hardly proper to say this IL the
open season for politics In New
Mexico. There is really no closed
season for politics in Our neighbor
state, but 1t may be said with perfect
truth the sltuttion' there Is warming
up TO u point approaching the sizzling
stage. Thanks TO n quarrel between
the three principal republican news
papers In central New Mexico over
the denomination of Governor Larra-
colo. the public is being afforded an
unusual opportunity TO study the in
side workings OF the q. o. +. machine
and to glimpse the personalities n
plans OF the men whO are credited
with doing the oiling and keeping the
o. In mesh.
IL we are to believe two Of these
republican papers. IL little band of
elder statesmen gathered In Santa fe
have fixed up Il slate which they cal
culate TO force unbroken down the
throat of an assemblage OF 1900 fol-
lowers OF Lincoln. Mckinley n
Roosevelt scheduled to meet In state
convention at Albuquerque on the
seventh OF the coming month.
II We are 10 further believe these
two usually veracious disseminators
OF public Information, this state does
not contain the name Of Governor
Octnviano A. L%arrazolo, who for "
years has resided In The executive
mansion in Santa fe and on occasion
breathed defiance to bosses large and
not so large. Tho governor was once
n democrat, and, In the opinion OF
some OF the leaders of the party that
lately honored HIM with high Office,
he liz showing signs OF a relapse. He
has come out In favor of n direct pri-
mary, Il fair, and equal system OF
taxation. liberal appropriations for
the public schools aud the higher in
%stitutions OF learning and economical
administration OF public affairs. Gov
ernor L|arrazOlo Is also strong for
good roads and he Ii firmly convinced
his state should have the absolute
control Of the public domain within
its boundaries. To u democrat these
things listen well, but to some of the
clders among the republicans the gov
ernor's utterances sound like ran
heresy. These gentlemen demand
the audacious ono be published by be-
ing denied a second term. III past
performances count for anything,
they have the power to enforce their
Will on the convention.
The problem OF getting rid OF a
rccalcitrant governor, however. Is not
so simple az appears at first glance
II Is necessary not only to eliminate
him as "a candidate, but TO induce him
to acquiesce in his elimination.
Governor Larrazolo Is credited with
having a personal political following
Of no mean proportions, voters who
followed him into the republican
party and who would likely follow
him again. AS New Mexico Is u
cloae tate, the votes OF these men
are necessary II the republicans are
to have any hope OF victory at the
polls In November.
ON the other hand, there Is "a con-
siderable clement OF New Mexico re-
publicans who refuse to stand for the
denomination OF Larraxolo under any
circumstances, They freely express
doubt as to the sincerity OF the gov
ernor's eleveilth-hour advocacy OF re-
forms that v been unnecessarily
urged In New Mexico for a decade or
more. They ask to know why 1t is
these things abou direct primaries
and equal taxation. etc., were never
Incorporated In the. governors mes
sages to the Legislature where they
might have done some good. The
governors enemies among h q. o. T..
rank and file openly scoff at his pro-
testations or being a forward-looker,
md they are ready to go even further
than the elder statesmen. for they
will not only fight him In the con-
vention. but, in the event he secures
the nomination, they make no secret
of their intention to knife him ut the
polls.
Meanwhile the democrats are View
Ing the situation with -complacency,
not to say hope. a few months g
the future for New Mexico democracy
looked dark indeed. Since the break
Ing out OF the Larrazolo row things
have frightened, for II tho republic
cans fail TO pacify ~Iarrazolo, n at
the same time keep him of the ticket
their chances OF success In November
are admittedly slim.
IInhA mia IN lhn hraln =