Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-11-11
MONDAY, NOVEMBER II.
NEW MEXICO'S STRONG PLEA.


New Yorker, represented Queens county
in the state assembly lor five years, and
subsequently was state senator from the
LIST district. lie is a tall man straight as
an Oregon pine, and the extreme dignity
OF his appearance, enhanced by flowing
beard, is defended from austerity by an
expression OF the greatest good will. The
governor received the other day the first
copies OF the constitution Of the state Of
New Mexico adopted by the recent con-
stitutional convention at Santa Fe, and,
in announcing the fact, he incidentally
expressed the conviction that the docu-
ment pesented virtues far beyond those
OF the constitution Of any other state in
the union. By way OF Introduction to
more detailed discussion of his assertion,
he reiterated some OF the conditions OF
the territory, which, he said had not
been sufficiently impressed upon the
eastern public,
"The population OF New Mexico, said
Mr.. Prince, sis about 100000, divided al
most equally between native MeXicans
and native Americans. Very little of the
foreign element reaching the Atlantic
coast comes to New Moxco. There is a
prevalent idea in the east that the Mexi-
can element is an argument against adj
mission to statehood, but this should not
be accepted. The mixture of Mexican
On-progresslvenes with the OvCr-san-
guine booming instincts OF adventurous
American pioneers will produce a con-
sentative community, whose growth will
be normal and healthy, and whose sub
stantial methods will protect it from such
bane as a large public debt.
New Mexico is undoubtedly Repnbli-
can" continued the speaker. "The terri
tory has, it is true, been represented by q
Democratic dele cate for the last six years
but that was entitely the result of local
causes. On national issues, New Mexico
has been Republican since the war. The
people were almost universally loyal to
the government during the rebellion The
Republican sentiment is greatly strength
ened by thetartf issue, the two great prod
ucts OF the territory being wool and lead
The last territorial legislature was two
thirds Republican in each branch.
"Now, as to the new constitution The
convention was great success, and was
as fine public body as | ever saw, The
result OF its work is admirable, for it in
Guides all he best features OF the newest
constitutions. The document will be
submitted to congress at the coming ses-
sion, with request for an enabling act,
so as to obtain early admission as Il state.
The constitution contains, in NV opinion.
many features which have long been de-
sired in New York, but seem impossibe
of attainment here. Many of it's pro.
visions have been prompted bv an in
cination on the part of outsiders to prog
nosticate evil for the new state. One of
the suggestions has been that, owing to
the great percentage Of a Catholic-Mexi-
can population, the state government
would be likely to be influenced bv the
priesthood. The experience of Old Next
co is sufficient to warrant the recognition
of danger Of sectarian influences upon
state legislation, but the action of con-
yention thorouuhly representative shows
a we'll marked intention of avoiding such
a condition. | refer IN this connection IN
the educational features Of the constitu.
ton, ana to those forbddjng appropria-
tons to private or sectarian instItutions
Thus, Article TX, section /. reads as fol-
lows.
Section |. Provision shall be made bv
law for the establishment and mainte
nance of q uniform, eystnn, of nnhI;c
schools, which shall be open to and suf.
ticient for the education of all the chill
dren in the state, and shall be under the
absolute control of the state. and free
from sectarian or church control and no
other or different schools shall ever re-
ceive any aid or support from pnbIic
funds. No sectarian tenet. creed or
church doctrine shall be taught in the
schools.
"The next section provides for the crea-
ton of a school fund, the expenditure Of
which is qualified thus:
But no part of such funds, nor Of 0nv
other funds created or authorized Inv Io,.
for educational purposes. shall ever he
applied toward the maintenance, support
or aid OF any school or other institution
in the management of which any religious
or other sect has any part, or which is
not under the absolute control of the
state. The provisions Of this and the
last preceding section are hereby declared |
to be irrevocable without the consent
OF the United States and the people of |
this state.
Another wise measure is section of
the same article, OF which this is the
text:
Sec. 8. The legislature. shall provide
by appropriate legislation for supplying
the pupils OF the public schools with the
necessary text books at public expense,