Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-03-14
IF YOU MUST USE A HAMMER,
BUILD A HOUSE"

1t is a generally accepted belief that "knocker'
is unpopular. A destructive critic has useful place
in society But there has been a very necessary
place in New Mexico for constructive critic
The journal has been forced, during the past
year to use a hammer. At times we
PEELED to use a sedge hammer. But using
it build better political house in New Mexico,
There is scarcely a fair-minded citizen but will
admit that political conditions We're ntolerably bad
Politics were played by the politicians for the sake
Of organization and by certain special interests for
their financial profit in evadng taxes. The organiza
tons wholly unresponsive to the public need,
There organized and articulate public senti-
ment The people were voiceess in political mat
ters
Almost year ago the Journal put at the head of
this column the four panks which appear today for
the hst time standing feature. Our proposals
were laughed at and audacity took away tho
breath of the initiated, We were told that no hopi
existed of accomplishing anything.
We commenced using hammer to build house
BY September public sentiment sufficiently
aroused that 1t deemed wise by both political
parties to put planks into the platform
But some of the politicians in the republican
party did this without the slightest idea keeping
the pledges. In fact, any one who has attended the
Legislature, knows that had the agitation ended
there, nothing of any consequence would have been
accomplished at this session. To move reactionary
politicians to action it is necessary to convince them
that party is jeopardized unless they act,
This the Journal foresaw.
1t required the telling blow of seeing the state
ticket trail $500 behind the national ticket in
the election, convince the professionals that
feat stared them in the face in the next election
unless there was a reasonable redemption of party
pledges after the election.
The Journal did not leave the republican party
to make bad record. Instead it began crusade
for the redemption Of pledges and stayed with the
propaganda to the end. The journal very ac
tive influence before the legislature.
The primary law failed Our other panks were
reasonably converted into legislation. Had Senators
Amn, Lea and Brckley of the minority party stayed
with the primary law the last day of the session.
it would have passed the Senate it had the
House. These men pited their personal objection to
primary against Judge Hannas declarations for
state wide law They stood upon their party decara-
tion for a county primary law and refused to sup
port a state wide law, also, did the republican
leaders
The failure of any law primaries, is charge
able to both parties equally and leaves neither with
party advantage.
In fairness it must be said that this subject was
less agitated than some others and that public senti-
ment is greatly divided its wisdom 1t will re-
quire a crysallized sentiment to bring 1t to
pass
budget amendment adopted, to be voted
upon in September, the BIZ partisan board for
the land OffICe. In both these the journal
petey for the people and the public will have
chance to say what it wants.
An ad valorem appraisal was imposed on the
mines after the bitterest contest in the history the
state If the mines acquiesce in the new
order of things, well and good. If they attempt to
use undue or improper influence the admins
tration of the new law, the fight will go on.
<, II our readers will take the time to make an ap-
prasal of results, they will how nearly complete
was the victory OF the people and how overwhelming
has been the vindicaton OF the Journals course.
Upon every point but the primary law the Jour
nal won in one year. fight for the people which
1t anticipated would take five years, when it began
No newspaper ever great a victory in the
public interest in a single year
The most significant phase of all is that the re-
publican. party has been led partially to throw off
its completely reactonary incubus and to step out as
"a party of state 1t has demonstrated its
capacity for doing constructive things 1t has in a
large degree, earned right to public confidence
That this is true is due largely the agitation by
the journal which crystazed public sentiment into
an insistent demand.
re- Let it be hoped that the lesson has been learned
by all party leaders of both parties that is the part
OF wisdom to be responsive to the public will
The Journal forced to use a hammer but
we used it to build house.
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