Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-01-14
"But what does the paltrv sum of

W
Field, "when we come to consider the
With the railroads for the present exempt
from taxation, and tax valuation of
$53, 900 900, and the head of every family
exempt in the sum of $500, New Mexicos
present financial condition need excite
no alarm in the least | am no prophet,
but undertake to say that 81 fair assess
ment of the territory's property will en-
able the state of New Mexico in five years
to erect all needful public institutions,
pay off all debts past and to come and
meet the expense of state government,
and said state government run byou own
people, and the cost per year will be less
than the expense Of this territorial govern
ment for the year last past. But
even if statehood brings an extra burden.
| dare say there is not a citizen among us
but who would be willing to pay double
for the privilege of self government. No
one will undertake to say that the incom-
ing administration will treat US otherwise
than We have been treated for years; that
it will consider New Mexico anything
more than Botany Bay for defunct poll
ticians, as my friend Vanderveer would
say. Much has been said abroad about
the intelligence OF our people; and our
Republican friends appear to be afraid to
admit New Mexico under some such ex-
cuse as this. / have always thought my
self a Democrat, having all my life afiili-
ated with this party, but should refuse
to affiliate longer with the Democratic
party if it declined to admit New Mexico,
and know very many consistent Repub-
Leans who will refuse to longer affiliate
with the Republican party if it now re-
fuses to admit this territory into the state
hood The time has come for the adj
mission OF New Mexico, and the man or
set of men who stand i'll the way will
surely live to regret it. | believe New
Mexico would 90 into statehood over
whelmingly Republican, but | prefer
A REPUBLICAN STATE
to Democratic territory and ii were a
Republican | should prefer a Democratic
state to a Republican territory! From my
standpoint there is no politics in this
question; there is but one side to it The
faith of the United States government is
pledged to admit US; every equity de-
mands it, common justice, the redemp-
ton of the national governments pledges
made more than thirty years ago! With
out regard to party every principle Of
fairness demands it, and New Mexico is
far better qualified to 60 into the union
now than any state that has been ad-
mitted in the past thirty years"
Mr.. Field here excoriated the Chicago
Tribune for its editorial ISLANDERS and
falsehoods on the subject of New Mexico
and said the Tribune's attempt to place
New Mexico before the nation in false
light would avail nothing; that the people
OF other states who had cast their lots
here and those who were born here did
not recognize the distinctions which o
few eastern enemies of the prospective
richest state in the union had attempted to
raise.
Mr.. H. B. Hobart, of Las Vegas hot
springs, made strong argument on the
particular benefits to be gained by going
into the statehood under the pending ON
nibus bill, and he read from the Springer
bill i'll detail, showing the liberal dona-
tons of land for various purpose, includ-
ing the construction of water storage res
ervoirs, which it was proposed by this
measure to allow New Mexico.
Col. j. N. Smithee, in seconding the
adoption Of the resolutions, said he had
travelled over much of the territory, ard
he desired to bear testimony TO the fact
that the masses of the people were order
ly, law abiding, faithful citizens, and in
every respect worthy of becoming mem
bers OF state government.
COL. J. FRANK CHAVEZ,
ex-delegate in congress, attorney and
present president OF the New Mexico
senate, was loudly called for and presently
stepped to the front and launched into
the subject with characteristic vim. He
said he had had great deal of experience
with the territorial form of government.
He had lived in Santa Fe when on ac-
count of Indians it was like taking a
mans life in his hands to leave the city.
He had seen people ambushed by the In
dams within sound of the church bells of
Santa Fe; within sight OF the military
flag sent here by the national government
to protect the territory, and from those
trying times to those of peace and tran
quillity that now prevail he had ever
prayed the government to keep its pledged
faith and grant the admission of New
Mexico as state. Every year he had
found the territorial form of government
growing more burdensome and more I'M
satisfactory to the people, and frequently
he had been prompted to PROFOUND the
question: care we slaves or are we free
men L" five continue as a territory theun-
natural burdens thereby imposed must Of
necessity retard and hinder the attain
ment of that grand destiny which New
Mexico's natural resources warrant us in
looking forward to; as territory we must
60 down; as state, governed by people
of our own selection, by people who have
at heart the welfare of the country and
who can but desire its prosperity, the
grandest future is open to us.
|. NJ Bond took the floor when Col.
Chavez had concluded and said one inn
portant point frequently passed over in
considering the question of statehood was
that, in case OF New Mexico's admission
under the bill now pending the state
would receive 100000 acres of public
lands for school purposes that much had
been said among ignorant people at the east
about the average intelligence of New
Mexicans, but it was his opinion that in
case the territory was given statehood this
1000, 900 acres of land would be sold and
a fine school building erected in every
public school district in the state within
five years.
CALLS FOR CATRON.
AT this juncture, as if by preconcerted
arrangement, shouts came from every
quarter of the assembly for Hon. Thos. B.
Catron, and broad smile illumined the
face of this able and well known Re-
publican leader when he stepped upon the