The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-18
KNOCKING AT THE DOOR.

/ Oese
KNOCKING AT THE DOOR.
| In 1850 New Mexico was supposed to have q
population of about 81. 500. In 1860 the number
| increased to SO, 500. In 1870 the counts Of
the census puts down 9l,874 for the new
Territory, of whom 9O,393 were whites and
only 1909 Indians. Of these, 49, 1856 were Re
ported as unable to read and $3.50 unable to
write in 1870.
New Mexico has an area Of 121, 204 square
miles, or about 76 inhabitants to each 100
square miles. OF the population at the date
Of the census, 10, 66S we're engaged in agri.
culture, 1865 in professional business, 1868
in transportation and 1895 in manufactures,
mechanics and mining.
The true valuation of real and personal
estate at the time of the census was $3l, 349.-
600 and the public debt insignificant. The
richest county was Colfax, in which the prop
erty was estimated at Sc, I'll 900. The total
value Of live stock was 81 ,494, 900.
Since 1870 the population Of New Mexico has
increased somewhat rapidly, because the In
dams have been pacided and because railroad
communication with the States is established
OF promised. The population is now supposed
to be between 100, 900 and 16O, 600, Of which
perhaps 10000 are whites from the United
States and the balance Of Spanish or mixed
descent.
The population, however, il regarded as
peaceful, obedient and quiet in some re-
spects like the Spanish people who formed
considerable portion Of the population Of
Texas previous to the sep sration from Mexico.
The Territory lies between the thirty-6rst
and thirty-seventh parallels, and the one
hundred and third and the one hundred and
ninth meridians, with territory as large as
all the New England States, with New York
added. Toe present estimated population,
after transfers of territory to Arizona and
Colorado. is about ll5,OOO, Of whom 10000
are Anglo-Saxon and European immigrants.
The soil is we'll adapted to cereals, veg
etables, grasses and grapes. 1t is remarkably
we'll adapted to the culture of wheat, and
the climate is we'll suited to stock raising.
Tie average sales of wool, hides and cattle
amount to s4OOO,OO per annum, while the
product Of gold, silver and copper is worth
50, DOC, 900 more.
The bill for the admission Of New Mexico
as State of the Union passed in the Senate
on the 18th of March by q vote of IS to Is,
twenty-three Senators being absent. What
action the House may take upon it remains to
be seen. 1t is said that Oregon, Kansas. Ne
vads, Nebraska and Colorado we're admitted
with less population than New Mexico is
proved now to possess. 1t is alleged that the
motive Of Republicans in pressing the admis-
sion at an early day is to secure the three
electoral votes Of the new State for their
Presidential candidate.
Wholly without reference to the partisan
aspect Of the measure, we should say that
when the legitimate voting population of the
Territory of New Mexico reaches number en-
titling her to Representative in Congress, it
will be just and proper to admit her as .
State, with all that the name, the status and
the dignity of State require. We object to
the representative number being made up Of
the names Of men who have only been travellers
through the Territory for the past twenty years,
or who have died before the latest census, or
who are mere birds of passage, fitting to and
fro through the Territory, without intending
to settle or return for permanent residence.
The debate in the Senate on the day of the
passage of the bill threw but little light on
tho merits of the case, leaving some Senators,
like ourselves, in doubt as to whether the
people of New Mexico could with propriety
demand admission. We do not believe in
drowning Territory with the sovereign dia-
dem Of Stateship until the right and title can
be made good in every particular and to the
fullest extent. But whom the right to admis-
sion has been or may be fully proven by in
disputable documentary testimony, or other
men, no consideration of partisan nature
should stand in the way for . single day or
hour.
The true question for the honest considera-
ton Of Congress relates only to the right Of
the people of New Mexico to constitute
State and an equal with all other States. If
the title is not good let the petition be re-
jected, but if the title is complete and with
out flaw or blemish, We would hope to see
New Mexico welcomed within the charmed
circle Of Federal Union as cordially as any
one of the twenty-four States which were
added one by one to the original thirteen.
|