The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-02-12
The Objections to Admitting
New Mexico to the Union,
THE POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS
or Certain Elements a Factor In the
Campaign = Character OF tho
PopulatIon-spauisha and Eng,
lish Speaking Citizens, sc.

luCs NeM MeAlCo 10 peVullpE' cut u
represented in Congressby Hon, Antonia
Joseph, a Democrat, elected by a large
majority, while the legislature is almost
unanimously Republican in both bran,
ches,
Another pecullarity 10 the fact that be-
fore the last election the most OF the
Democratic politicians were In favor OF
State admission, Since the election,
when the Legislature was discovered TO
be so strongly Republican, 1t Is current.
ly reported that these politicians are op,
posed to Statehood. Again, when the
Republicans discovered that they had
carried the Legislature many who had
been on the fence suddenly became con,
WINGED that a State was the best thing
for US. Since then they are divided. It
was found when organizing the Leglsla.
ture that 1t was Catron organization,
and some lOwercase Republicans, who
thought themselves politicians, sudden.
ly began to think that we had better re-
main Territory while longer aud let
Congress take care of us.
About one-half OF tho Legislature is
Spanish and the other English speaking,
Some speak both languages, An inter-
prefer Is employed in both branches at
$40 per day, and everything spoken in
either language Is Interpreted into the
other as the speaker proceeds. The in
terpreter catches OIL US best he can. !
believe this Is unknown IN any other
country, and is done for Convenience"
sake, and partly for political effect, to
cater to the prejudiCes OF the native pop
ulation, who are supposed to constitute
rather more than 0ne.half the voters,
and neither party desires 10 "make the
break" In abolishing this expense and
convenience" The laws are printed
In both Spanish and English, and many
schools throughout the Territory have
only Spanish taught.
ILLlTERACY.
The great objection against New Mex.
leo being admitted as State Is the al.
legged percentage Of illiteracy, which is
said to bc greater than in any other State
or territory. This think Is a mistake.
Among the veters the percentage OF
those who cannot read is, from my OBJ.
servation, less than in some OF the con.
gressional districts in the city Of New
York, and much less than In some OF
the congressional districts in the South
and who would think Of refusing them a
representation In Congress2 In fact the
native population, or "Alexicans," as
they are termed, are more capable Of ex-
ercfsing the right OF suffrage than some
other classes that do vote ut our elec.
tons.
In point Of business capacity the ma
tive population are up to the average.
Some OF the wealthiest men in the Ter.
ritory are MexiCaus. So are some Of the
best legislators, and, as to politicians,
we have more to the population than In
any other part Of the Union. Politeness,
gentility and hospitality come natural
10 them. In this they are equal TO the
old Virginian-who sits around the cor.
ner grocery and court house yard in
much the some way as the middle class
sit and lean against the sunny side OF
their adobe houses and discuss politics
and business generally. Proud as the
yirginian may be Of the land Of his
birth, and ! am one, 1t Is no disparage-
ment, to compare him In his habits and
ways with the Spaniard OF New Mexico.
We have lower classes here and mixed
races. AS in other parts OF the United
States, Indians do not count; they do
not vote. They are mixed with Spanish
and their worst fault Is "manana," !" the
Spanish for "waituntil lto-morrow." They
are lazy, but are not any more susCepti-
bic to inAuence" in election than some
other classesin the States. The worst mix.
ture we haveis that ofthe aborigines with
adventures who have been rowing and
robbing down here for the last two hun
dred years, and leaving bad blood down
In this southwest country. Surely our
great Yankee nation should not 60 back
upon It's own blood and kin when 1t
comes TO admitting them into the Union.
THE REAL OBJECTION.
Where then Is the objection to ad.
mitting New Mexico into the Union,
with her 100000 populationP A few
years ago renegades, desperadoes and
bad characters generally were driven, as
It were, into this country. These have
mostly disappeared; worn themselves
out against one another, and either be.
come good citizens or passed on. A
better class OF immigration has been
coming in for the past ten years, since
the advent OF the Santa Fe Railroad.
The Spaniards who have been here for
the past three hundred years, battling
hostile Indians-the most blood thirsty
Indians on the face Of the earth-are as
true 10 the American flag as any part OF
the Union.
Politicians from personal motives Oh.
ject 10 Statehood, both in Congress and
In the territory. Papers and politicians
who took sides before the election, have
changed sides since. AS have said, we
have more politicians 10 the population
than In any other part Of tho Union, and
they seem 10 DO for or against Statehood,
according as they fancy II Will benefit
their personal or political ends.
As | have before said, upon organizing
the legislature Republicans found that
The legislature was controlled by Thomas
| B, Catfon, who, Il Is reported, has aspir.
atoms for seat In the United States
Senate, (very honorable on his part, and
a position lie could fill as well as any
man In the territory, and as well as seats
| IN Tie Senate arc generally hlled,) But
| The strong political hand Of Catron had
been used too heavily, and some oi the
loWer.case fellows could not aliofd 70
200 the column
HEADED ron STATEHOOD
Begin with q capital letter. II Ia
hard that our territory should be kept
out Of The Union, on account Of the petty
jealouBies OF politicians. -,.,,
1 did not intend 70 write q political
letter, bat IL 10 hard 10 do otherwise
here, aB / presume 1t would 70 from rom
IChafleston, w. Va. But really thil
Suestion ol Statehood lg an important
Sns. IuSt Al Inc present time, 70 our peo'
nls. when the tide Of immigration L
turninp tbls way 10 live In out. genial
snnahif,v climate, settle up our farming
iSnIs anil develop our mines. The Cal
iioSniS Immigration which has beer
pouring past uS, has begun 70 tecede
ItJapiiai will come this way when We he
come one Of tho States q the Union
Snj Ialg my word for II, there ID no op
1nSiilon 10 Statehood In New Mexico
bScSni what comes from interested poll
iimShs, Articles against Statehood pub
iisGsI hV these persons In unlnlluenLlA
hbhVu u ". I.iN aobl IfaHl aNd NaS,ih,