The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-09-23
Venting a Grudge


A Santa Fe newspaper calling IT.
self republican has turned viciously
upon the untrn mmelled choice OF the
republican party OF New Mexico for
governor. Judge Merritt e. Mechem.
and calls upon the party which named
him to knife him to the death In this
campaign as h only means OF saving
the party from dissolution. We fail
TO undei stand the Santa Fe New
Mexican's reasoning, or the grounds
for Its fears for the life OF the party,
but It's animus IN perfectly clear.
Judge Meehem happened to be on the
bench and TO have rendered Il decision
at one time adverse to the New Mex
lean In a libel suit brought against
that D as any Just and righteous
Judge would have been compelled TO
do In the light of tne law the
evidence. Doubtless the Judge, as "a
man aad a republican,, would have
preferred the verdict 10 have been
different, but the law being what IL
Is and the Judge being the judge he Is
with ol~d-tashioned notions against the
slogan what iH the law between
friends did his duty In the !
fashioned American "a This, II nov
appears, In sufficient grounds upon
which q republican newspaper should
renounce, and wipe It's
hands Of a clean, able. honorable and
fearless man named by It's " party
for governor OF the state. on the
face OF this II would further appear
that perhaps the libSl suit and the
verdict were not misplaced.
The New Mexican charges that
Judge Mochem was jammed down the
| threats OF the 1885 delegates to the
republican state convention by "A
half-dozen suner-bosses; that these
bosses are not republicans, ~
self-servers and political profiteers.
that they control and will continue
TO control. Judge Mechem. the nom
inee; hat the delegates at A~lbuduer-
que had nothing whatever TO say
about the mo- ANA. ION; and that unless
the rank and ne OF the party now
nls their candidate at the polls
the Marty and the state are both
doomed TO total and everlasting ruin
-pnd then some.
All OF which would be simply ter
rlble IL true.
but the truth Is, no half-dozen
"bosses," however super" their pow
err, Inns ever been competent TO die
tate to u republican convention OF
iiS5 delegates, each armed with a
free American ballot-a convention
In which no more than three out OF
twenty-nine counties cast their votes
solidly.
Another truth IL that the nominee
had no expectation OF the nomination,
had rejected the proposal that he be
a candidate, aud was decidedly reluct-
ant to accept the nomination when II
was actually accorded him.
A further truth liz. that Judge Me-
chem made no promises to any bosses
becauae lac did not want the cover
norahip. could not afford to accept
the nomination, and had no reason &c
promise anything to anybody In re-
turn for something he did not desire
A further truth Is, these bosses
are alleged 10 be r~eactionary In ths
extreme, while Judge Mechem, to use
his W words, declares: II have al
ways supported progressive policies
voted for Colonel Roosevelt In 1911.
and they (the republican leader
In this stAte) know that no specia
group will be permitted TO unduly In,
fluence my course. III
could command words TO make m,
oommitment 70 the people more ex'
pIlcit, / would use them
And the final truth Is. the SANTA r.
New Mexican lost "a defendant II
that libel suit In Judge Mechem'
court, and can't forgive him for DO
ing his plain duty.
oN THE DRY BATHING MEACf