Las Vegas free press. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1891-1???, 1892-07-26
g7AZzzcao AFFAIRS.

night from Washington city, where
he has been for three weeks past
striving for New Mexico's advance
ment by working for the passage of
the statehood bill in congress.
"The state business IS in good
/ fix" said Mr.. Catron. "The bill
providing for an enabling act has
been amended so as to make it prac-
tically self-operating, and il was fay
orably reported to the senate on
Thursday last with the recommends
tion that 1t be called up for passage
early in December next. Senator
Carey, of Wyoming, who is in charge
of the measure, says that the bill
will certainly pass in December"
A number Of amendments were
made in the house bill by the senate
committee on territories. Among
them was one cutting down the pub
lie land donations to the new state,
and this one Mr.. Catron opposed
with all his energy. 1t cuts down
the lands for educational purposes to
the same quantity given the new
northwest states, providing only for
donating sections lG and 32 for com
mon school purposes. Mr.. Catron
pointed out the unfairness Of this;
called attention to the character of
the land as compared with that in
most of the new states, and showed
how the repeal Of the pre.emption
land law would serve to cut New
Mexico out Of the per cent Of the
proceeds from public land sales,w which
act the other states had long had ad-
vantage of; but his argument was to
no purpose, many Of the senators
from the new northwest states retus-
ing to support the bill as long as it
vested New Mexico with special
privileges respecting these donations
of land. The other amendments by
the senate committee refer to the
time of holding the elections.
eve had great difficulty in getting
the committees together" said Mr.
Catron. "Members Of the commit
tees were loaded down with letters
from parties in New Mexico who
seemed to have an interest in oppos-
ing statehood and keeping up the
present form Of territorial govern
ment These letters were malicious
Ily written, but they had no real ef-
feet except to delay action until next
season They served to change no
body's opinion, but gave a pretext
merely for delay.
cit was most unfortunate that the
house so long hung up the bill, send
ing it to the senate at the eleventh
hour.
"sonator Carey said this was the
chief difficulty, as in the closing
hours Of the senate, when the appro-
priauon bills lad to have attention,
| it was impossible to give due at
tention to matters such as this. Sen
ator Allison, who is chairman of the
committee on appropriations, request
ed Senator Carey not to push the bill
tins session, saying he was friendly
to 1t and would heartily support its
passage, but that now it would inter
fere with the consideration of the
appropriation bills, and its enemies
would take advantage Of the oppor-
tunity to hurry it out Of the way and
shelve it. Senator Plat said that if
the bill was forced at this session he
would have to make minority re-
port against it, but that he would
favor final action early in the winter
session. Thus it became apparent
that many would oppose the bill at
this late day in the present session
who favored its passage in December
next, and it was therefore deemed
prudent to simply have the measure