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Show 552 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY executive was the removal of Mr. Bursum 4 as superintendent of the penitentiary and the appointment of Arthur Trelford, an expert prison manager who had been employed in some capacity at the Federal prison near Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to the position. This action on the part of the governor resulted in arraying against him and his administration whatever influence could be in Fort Dodge, Towa, in 1867. art | Se OMEN AY tek AE AG OE NE oe eee te aes a | tN Pe a eae tS, J meee Peed i re ye La.) ar£ Tr} to was born c ad tea! ee ee ere a O. Bursum $i consent, he would have been the unanimous choice of the first republican state convention, but Mr. Luna had espoused the cause of Mr. Bursum, had given his word to Support him, and it was not possible, as Mr. Luna believed and declared, for him to become the gubernatorial candidate. 465 Holm SR fe meee It failed signally in making a good impression upon the politicians, who regarded the prison superintendency as a political office. The governor, having investigated the accounts of Mr. Bursum as superintendent, charged him with bee Mexico capable of filling the position. cs Cae. Pe however, that New Mexico and her people as a whole were not interested in such experiments. There were plenty of men in New al troduce them in New Mexico. From a business standpoint and as an experiment in criminology and prison discipline it is possible that the appointment was made with some wisdom; the fact remained, ted Spot hs ee, ee be Ded oe te exerted by the friends of Mr. Bursum and the active machine politicians of the territory. The appointment of a non-resident to the superintendency of the penitentiary was unwise and impolitic; but the governor had ideas of prison management and proposed to in- His parents oe Frank O. and Maria (Hilton) Bursum, who came to the United States from Until nine years of age, Mr. Bursum lived on a farm; during Norway in 1865. two years he attended the publie schools of Fort Dodge eleven, began to earn located at Raton, his own living. When just as the Santa thirteen Fé and, at the age ° he came railroad was to New being Mexico constructed and through New Mexico. He removed to San Antonio, New Mexico, and later to Ft. Wingate, where he was employed in freighting and contracting. Shortly afterward, he became interested in’ mining sheep raising, and other enterprises. In 1894, he was elected sheriff of the county of Socorro. In 1898, he served 1 the upper house of the legislative assembly, where he established a reputation as a legislator of marked ability. In 1899, he was appointed superintendent 0 the penitentiary by Governor Otero and held the position until removed by Governor Hagerman. In 1904, he was chosen chairman of the republican central committee, a position which he filled with oreat credit, leading his party to victory in every campaign down to and including the election of delegates to the constitutional convention of 1910. As a delegate to the republican nationa convention of 1908, he was largely responsible for the incorporation into the national platform of that year of the definite statehood plank, up republican which the statehood movement so largely depended for its final outcome 1? a Ss Members A Ec 8 M. Dougherty. E. Wood. of the Constitutional Convention of 1910 4, Francis 2. Nestor Montoya. 3. Charles Springer. 5. Charles A. Spiess. 6. Granville A. Richard7. J. M. Cunningham son. peer eats eae te gress. The position taken by Mr. Bursum and the manner in which he handle the situation at the Chicago convention of 1908 is an episode of histori¢ inn portance. Mr. Bursum was the republican candidate for the position ° governor of the state at the election in November, 1911, and was defeated. |