Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-10-13
Albuquerque Morning Journal Wednesday, October 49, 1920

Buraum, in the constitutional convention october
Is 1910 shown by the official minutes.
This the majority and minority reports
Of the committee on Liquor Traffic and Prohibition,
and it on the day the majority report against
and the minority for prohibition and control OF the
liquor traffic in this state brought upon the
floor Of the convention. Thirty minutes for debate
on each side of a question of this magnitude an
issue that was then absorbing the attention Of the
people from end of the nation to another, and
when there were one hundred delegates and all with
right to be heard! And, Messrs- Fall Bursum,
Springer Holloman, ct AL who had it in their power
then to give New Mexico chance 10 rid herself of
the saloon voted to Keep it here. #
Also, there was session of the legislature in
1912 and Mr.. Dursum there rs always, n mem
Der Of the third house, and in control Of legislation.
lie refused to permit the Submission Of prohibition.
The same thing occurred in 1913 and again in 1915.
BY the time the 1917 session rolled around the SEN
timcnt for prohibition was, Overwhelming that
he DID consent to the submission of the question
to the voters of tho The vote in the next
election the amendment showed the sentiment
to be- overwhelming for prohibition
It ~ an undisputcd fac that had it not been for
the "uluc- ballot amendment ihat congress per-
mittcd us to vote upon, thus remedying the dis
graceful unamendable feature Of our organic law,
which Mr.. Bursum helped fix, or for the federal
prohibition amendment, New Mexico would still be
three tourhs of the members elected to each
house" under the proposed constitution, to have
voted for the submission of any amendment. Yet,
Mr.. Bur"um gave us prohibition in New MeXico
Efforts made in the constitutional conven-
,on TO got clean and secure secret ballot and files
on the subject introduced, by more than a
dozen delegates. yet Bursum Fall, Springer, Hollo-
man. ct al opposed and voted against such measure.
Tho official record of the convention proceedings
aGt ileq f
pursory DIRECT primary law introduced, but
these were likewise killed without the ceremony Of
oven limited debate
ON November 10, 1910. Delegate Chdcrs of
Curry county offered the floor of the conven-
ton an amendment to the elective franchise article,
which provided that The Legislature SHALL enact
mandatory primary system which shall provide
for the nomination of all state, district, county and
municipal officers for all political parties" But
this went down to defeat With Delegates Bursum,
Fall. and the rest of the convention "manasement
voting against it. 1t laid upon The table without
the formally of the slightest debate. Who should
worry about direct primary in New Mexico in
those glorious days of undsputed boss control and
newspaper silence.
Files were offered. the record shows providing
for general woman suffrage in New Mexico. but tho
same old crowd tabled the files along with the mo-
tons and the thoughts of such scandaIous pro
poSal and hurried along to the question of fixing
the taxation article SO that the mines would pay
taxes only the surface value" of the lands that
had millions of dollars of coal beneath!
This little historical review is given here only
to show how begrudgingy the "bosses' of the re-
publican party in control in this state have given
ground" as the fight has been waged by the peo-
pie. There is not Il single act of the Bursum-Fall-
Springer Hooman Hawkins crowd from the day
that the blessings of promised statehood enthused
our people until this very hour that indicates a
whole hearted progressive stand for any of these
things speak of progressive measures.