The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-08-11
WORD WITH REPUBLICANS

GREAT opportunity exists just now both for republican har
u mony in Bernalilo county and for mseihsh constructive local
q party leadership. The republican party IN this county has been
forn by fractional strife for many years Whatever basis may have
existed for that strife in yesrs gone BY hss been pretty we'll removed
Many Of the older generation q republicans have forgotten how and
Why ii started. The younger geperaicn do not know. More recently
TIE strife has been mainly over issues Of leadership, in themselves OF
little interest or Importance 10 the rank and file of republicans, except
as they have served. ia election after election, TO permit a minority to
win. A large majority Of the voters of Bernaiilo county are adhcr-
cnts OF republican party principles They want good local govern
men, first They are ready, IL left TO their own good judgment, to
follow any party leadership that will insure such government. They
In the more recent elections, issues of personal leadership have
deliver q republican county in a republican state. over to the minor
iy party. The results have been harmful, not only to the republican
uiahton for local strife and division Of interests we have failed to
agree upon both our wishes and our needs. As a result neither have
In q primary and a county convention having nothing to do with
ton Of factional strife There is also a wide-open opportunity for
hat unselfsh, constructive leadership referred TO above. II does not
matter 50 much to republicans Of the rank and file as to whose that
leadership shall be, as that it shall be advanced iu the right spirit,
with intent 70 unite republicans and promote al once fair play in
party councils aud the welfare OF city, county and stete.
In the meeting Of the county committee Wednesday the commit
tee declined. by an overwhelming vote, 10 agree 70 a proposal from a
committee Of the independents that the latter be given an equal repre-,
sentation ON the committee, IN the convention and in the representa-
ton at the Santa Fe convention a week from today. The committee
agreed that it had no power te change its membership n re-make IL
self; that IL was created by a convention representative OF the repub-
Ican party Of The county and that only another such convention could
reorganize the personnel Of the committee. The committee held to the
view that for a committee with delegated power to constitute itself
create a new party organization for that rank and file would result
in resentment, rebuke and probable repudiahon. That attitude Ger.
|AN1 AH1NA w. ~ At8aNa AF8& EhNaAthA& H1 wv h1AI @A "a
women within or without a party committee have a right to assume
power to speak the will of a party convention in advance of that con
yention' : instructions
What the committee did, as we understood it, was to say to the
Independents that the party doors are wide open; that they will be
guaranteed fair and open primaries. that a many tickets of delegates
as may be desided, may be nominated for action by the primaries.
that the primaries will be impartlally conducted and that the result
win be such representation in the convention next Wednesday IS the
republicans Of each precinct shall determine by their votes.
Thus the way is wide open to every voter who wishes TO affiliate
with the republican party to do so on an even basis with every other
republican, sure of an equal voice in party management and with an
equal chance to achieve a position Of party leadership.
The influence Of the local party situation upon the coming senator
il election viii not be important, no matter what the county conven-
ton may develop in party management. An overwhelming majority
of the people Of Albuquerque and Bernalilo county, without much
PICARD 70 party utilization, appear to favor the nomination and cleo,
ton Of Senator Bursum because he has made good in a big job and
because Of the capacity he has evidenced for further and very import
ant service to the state. But the outcome Of the county convention
viii be very important to the republican party in the general election
Of 1922 and ia future elections. Harmony achieved now will be OF
value, not only to 'he party, but to the city and county. Continued
inharmony will be likely to damage the interests of all concerned. For
those who desire q place in the republican ranks, and particularly fT
those who desire 10 achieve leadership, this is a mighty good time e
get in. We believe the county committee is right in its view that Oh,
only way TO stay ia Or 90 come in is upon the same basis with every
other republican. Certainly it is right in opening the way to all alike
1t does not require a political wizard 10 see the opportunity fol
wise, unselRsh, constructive leadership in such a situation; or TO fore
east what will happen to any other kind.