Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-11-23
SOME BENEFITS CONSIDERED.
Hon. Pedro Perea Makes Few Points
on the Subject of Statehood
for New Mexico.
Settlement of Land Titles and Public
SChooIs-The English Language
and Business.

Hon. Pedro Perea is in the capital to-
day from his home at Bernalillo. He has
twice represented his county in the terri
tOrial senate was an active member OF
the state constitutional convention; has
been prominent in county and territorial
matters for years, and is brainy man.
His views on the admission of New Mexico
as state were asked by New MEXICAN
man this morning. He said 81 want tc
see New Mexico admitte because it's bust
ness. We people down here have been
shamefuily treated by the national govern
ment for forty years or so, and it's about
time we were declaring ourselves. First
of all there are our land titles to be set
tied. Has the history OF a people ever
witnessed such neglect as the people OF
New Mexico have been subjected to by
congress in this matter? Under state
government New Mexico would have two
senators and representative to stand
up in congress and demand just
ice in this matter. Everybody
admits New Mexico's great natural
resources. 1t is already written that our
territory shall be state OF wonderfully
rich and varied natural wealth but how
many are there among us who are not
met with the humilitating remark now
If your land titles were only settled In
my opinion the quickest and SIM
plest method of adjusting these private
land claims is to become state. This
prospect alone ought to be sufli-
cient to cause the people to rise up
as one man and worry congress
out of its wits till our rights are acknowl-
edged. But there are other advantages,
not the least among which is a first class
system OF free public schools for educat-
ing our people. am firm believer in
the common school system, and | want
the children OF New Mexico educated in
English, so that they will stand as the
peer OF any in the world Of industry and
commerce. They'll not neglect the Span
ish tongue; they'll learn that perfectly in
their homes, but the state should fit them
for their business duties by giving them a
good English education-that's what
We want q state for My son is
away at school now, studying
only the English language. I'm going to
make business man out of him, and for
this reason he is now in school at Den
yer.
Under a state government New Mex
leo would be rich in school funds hum
dreds of thousands of acres OF lands
would become available for this purpose,
and also for the establishment OF higher
educational institutes. With state dele
CATION in congress New Mexico would
also secure both lands and government
appropriations of money wherewith to es-
tahlish a comprehensive system of irri-
CATION canals and water storage reser-
voirs. Annually congress now distributes
large sums of money among the states
Of the north, south and east, especially
for the improvement OF rivers and
harbors. New Mexico would be
justly entitled to share OF this money
and has great need of 1t for improving the
Rio Grande valley. With our state rep
resented in congress as it would be there
are innumerable other benefits to be
derived under q system different from our
present uneviable condition. And | be-
Iieve we are now in fair way for early
admission. Congress seems to be open
ing its eyes to the earnestness OF our
prayer, and the people at home are being
educated daily to see more and more
clearly the incalCulable good assured to
New Mexico under state form of govern
ment -