Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-09-24
The Vote in Now MrNicn


d ROBABLl the mos, surprised man in
New Mexico after the vote in the sen
aiorial contest had been announced was
Holm o. Bursum. elected 10 succeed him
self in the seat OF Albert b. Fall by IA
majority in excess of 1000 Mr. Bursum
doubtless hoped 10 he elected, and may
have had a measure OF confidence i'll the
outcome OF .hc contest but that he would
sweep his State by So decisive a majority
III the lace OF an insurgent Republican
ticket, probably astonished him rs il has
Republicans elsewhere in the country
1t was Il surprising result, from all stand
points Democratic leaders may have real
ized that their chances were slim and prob
ably did. They may have understood from
the start that they conld not expect TO match
me Republican campaign fund. and they.
Oh course. knew thai money in New Mexico
counts more heavily than in most other
States OF the Union. Out there the cost of
getting out the vote when polling places are
sometimes fifty to scventy-tive miles apart
is a costly proceeding
But with all these hundicaps it is doubt
full if the Democratic campaiyncrs dreamed
OF losing the State by so heavy a majority
They believed that reaction against the
party in power had set in and it would be
manifest in this election They believed
mat the independent Republican candidate
would run stronger and they were prepa red
TO make the result heart-hrcakingly close
even il they could not eject their own
ticket
What may he the significance OF the New
Mexico election? If Democratic politicians
are candid they will agree in the first place
IN mig
faction with the Harding regime. II is
quite evident that there is no pronounced
dissatisfaction up TO this time with the
now administration There is profound and
justitiablc disappointment over the toun-
dering Of the present Congress. but an
parcntiy this does not include Mr. Harding
or the administrative organization OF which
he is the handspring.
In the next place, Democrats leaders
must understand that. after all. the New
Mexican election was more or less of q local
affair 1t was the deliberate purpose of the
Democratic caididate and his friends TO pro
1ect this fight upon straightout national
lines. Mr.. Bprsum had been a member of
the Senate since March t. He had PLAYED
an active, if inconspicuous part in the pro
'cedings of that body The senate and
Congress are in disrepu;e and Judge Hanna
ana his friends very properly sough, 10 capi-
talize the uniavorable attitude OF the conn
try toward tho Legislative branch of the
government
II was the Republican leadership that
Tried with all its strategy TO keep the Sena-
toriai contest upon local basis For weeks
nctorc the election the country was told and
Now Mexico voters were told that national
issues played no part in the contest, but that
|; was solely case OF Bursum versus Hanna
II was suspected in some quarters and still
is that in hcralding the local phases OF
the campaign the Republicans were seeking
soft place TO fall. If they had been de-
icated. they wanted il understood thar the
deica, had nothing To do with the course
OF events in Washington
Now the Republicans are accIaiminr rho
result as great victory for the party in tho
nation as we'll as in the State and il is diff
hcnh Tor Democratic politicians gainsay
them on either proposition. II was a clean
cut Republican victory whatever NAV have
been the forces or the issues entering in,o
It,