Albuquerque morning journal., 1921-08-25
NOW is THE TIME.

Now is the time for the young and progressive
element OF the republican party to lay firm hand
on their local organizations and bring new brains
and new blood into their management Heretofore,
everything has been run money basis Every
one has insisted upon being paid for services to the
party.
Senator o. L. Phillips, campaign manager is
sending out a call for volunteer workers volunteer
automobiles and volunteer services generally. Ru-
mors to the contrary Notwithstanding, Senator Bur-
SUMS committee has campaign money of any
consequence. OF course, some money will be neces-
sary and will be contributed, but the total will
be comparatively small
This is a very wholesome sign. Senator Phillips
does not believe in large campaign expenditures
They have been curse In New Mexico. Party 10y
atty and civic decency have been at low ebb. The
probabilities OF have been measured by the
size of the campaign fund The effect has been most
deplorable.
Candidates have not been selected because of
character. or ability or usefulness to the people,
but by their availability In tapping the lls of the
special interests In return those interests have re-
ceived protection to which they were not entitled.
II progressive republicans will respond now to
the call of Senator Phillips they will do two things:
First they will prove that corrupt money is unneces
sary a matter of practical politics Second they
will obligate the party to its best element, who will
then be entitled to voice in its councils Therefore
the response should be immediate and hearty.
Conditions heretofore have produced endless
chain of corruption Early day republican leaders
resored to the of money They trained the ignor-
ant and corruptible to expect money. These would
neither work nor vote without it. Because they would
not work vote without it, it forthcoming
again; and endlessly Now is good time to
stop 1t. Both parties should refrain from the use
of money for such purposes. Men should be taught
that 1t is useless to expect it. If this is DONE long
step will be taken toward decency in New Mexico.
Last fall the democratic party may have ex-
pended less improper money than the republican
party. We think that probable. But the Journal
burned with shame made of money in
effort to elect Hanna The local party leaders deemed
1t necessary in order to offset similar republican
methods on a larger scale. Let all stop 1t now.
Enough volunteer help, which is above such use
of money, render it unnecessary, Now is the
time to cure great evil
1t Is rather useless to hold Bursum or any
else entirely responsible for such conditions in the
past. They took things they found them and did
the things they considered necessary. An improved
and alert public opinion, which would not endure it,
could have stopped 1t at any time.
For the purpose of arousing such public opinion.
we have assailed those who resorted to such meth
DDS. We have most bitterly assaled those who made
money out Of this crime by escaping their taxes and
by obtaining other special favors They design
edly criminal in their conduct Perhaps they were
TOO dencateIy-rlbered TO actually DO the coarse WORK
OF distributing their money. They left that to
less sensitive politicians Both the politician and the
voter corrupted by these men who consider
themselves good citizens.
New Mexico has serious problem on her hands
with the uneducated voter. Thoughtful citizens must
devote themselves to this question. The ilterate
must be trained decent ideals of citizenship Edu
Gated people should make things better. not worse
The Journal feels bound to condemn leadership
in either party which refuses to abandon the prac
tice of distributing improper money.
We commend the policy of Senator Phillips in
seeking volunteer help Let's be decent.