Evening star., 1954-10-12

L
Governor and Representative
and twice has tried for q sena.
torial nomination, but was de.
feated by Senator Chavez OH one
occasion and by Senator Ander-
son on the other.
| In the last few years conditions
have changed materially in New
Mexico, particularly in and about
Albuquerque. where the increase
in population has been amazing
In 1910, it was about 10000. BY
1850 it has grown to l0l 900 and
now 1t is approximately 150, 600
The county which contains the
city has Is per cent Of the poten-
tial voting population of the
State.
Reason for Growth.
World War II and the atomic
energy development and plants
are largely responsible for this
growth. While many of the new
citizens have come from the
Southwest and probably brought
membership in the Democratic
Party along with them, some
have come from the East, the
Middlewest and the West Coast.
Two years ago President E1-
senhower carried New Mexico,
132, 900 votes to los, 900 for Adlai
Stevenson. But Senator Chavez,
Democrat, was reelected, de-
feating his Republican opponent,
Gen. Pat Hurley, $4,000 to Ill.,
600. Hurley forces contested the
election. but after an exhaustive
inquiry, Senator Chavez was
firmly seated, The close race
made by Gen. Hurley, however,
encouraged the Republicans to
believe that they have a real
chance to win with Gov. Mechem
this year. o>
Up to date the campaign has
been a rather quiet affair, con-
Quoted by Mr.. Mechem and Sem
ator Anderson on a high plane.
No mudslinging has been evi-
dent. AS matter of fact, Mr..
Mechem is running on the plat
form that he is needed in Wash
ington to support Gen. Eisen-
hover and his program, and
Senator Anderson is pointing out
to the voters that he himself |
has supported Gen. Eisenhower
In the present Congress on many |
OF the. administration issues. |
There is no difference between
the candidates, for example, on
the farm program issue, for Sen
ator Anderson strongly favored
the flexible price support system
for farm prices instead of the
rigid 80 per cent of parity price
supports. When he was Secretary
Of Agriculture in the Truman adj
miniStration, Senator Anderson
helped to father a flexible price
support program. Both the can
aidates are supporting all and
any measures to give New Mex
Co increased water supplies for
Anderson's Claim.
Senator Anderson's claim is
hat he can do more for the
State than could Gov. Mechem,
particularly should the Demo-
rats come to control the SEN
ate. Gov. Mechem. he contends,
would be a freshman Senator,
while he himself, if reelected,
would be the chairman of the
Ioint Atomic Energy Committee.
The atomic energy program
means a great deal to New
Mexico.
On the theory that a G. o. p.
enatorial victory in this State
nay mean a continuance of Re- ,
publican control of the upper
house and certainly would
mean better working majority
1.-The G. o. P. has sent its big
rest guns into the State and /,
will send more. Vice President
nixon was here Saturday night.
Attorney General Brownell, SEN
ltor Dirksen of Illinois, and
'ther Republican leaders are
till to come. On the Democratic
ide, Adlai Stevenson was here
'riefly Sunday and will return |
lext Friday. Senator Lyndon
Johnson Of Texas, Democratic
eader of the Senate, is expected s
o come back to the State in sup
'ort Of the Democratic ticket.
Mr.. Mechem is AZ. He has
'een a land surveyor and an
gent Of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. with which he
made a good record: He is an
.ttorney, and until he was |
hosen Governor had held no
lective office.
New Mexico is choosing, too, ]