Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-04-02
a STATEHOOD NOVELTY.


idea regarding the admission OF the south
western territories into the union as
states. II cites Nevada as an example;
scores the last congress for admitting
Wyoming with population OF only Go,-
7O5 and Idaho with its "a 1856 people, and
declares that congress should be careful
not to burden the union with any more
"rotten borough states" Then the sun
suggests that in the projects now pending
for admitting "new territories some
cold blunders" may be repaired. Here
is the Suns plan
utah has now three different schemes
before congress: One tor admitting her
as a state second for continuing her IN
her present condition, although she hao
by the census of 1890 population OF
2O7 ,9O5, or more than enough to entltle
her to admission third to give her
special kind of home rule new In our
political system. The question has been
raised whether it would not be better than
any of these plans to divide this terri
tory. adding the western portion to New
ada and the eastern to Colorado. If the
line adopted for this purpose should be
the western boundary of Wyoming, CON
tinued southwark TO Arizona, popula'
ton could be added to Nevada large
enough to remove the standing reproach
upon the latter as a state unduly repre-
sented in congress. Nevada would then
have nearly $50, 900 people. At the same
| A.. ppnIlAnl pIiyht nDu n
solution on the foundation of the cOnstl-
tuition and laws of Nevada, and through
the ability of the combined gentle popu-
lations Of the new and old portions of the
state effectually suppress polygamy.
1t has been suggested further that, with
a view to admitting Arizona, and yet not
creating another rotten borough state, i;
should be rejoned to New Mexico, tie
two entering the Union as single state.
Their common origin and history, their
similarlties in population, climate, soil
resources and other respects, would
make such union less difficult
to bring about. Arizona with its
population of $500 in 1890, may
long have hard task to secure admission
alone; but the two neighbors combined
would enter rs a strong state, having up
ward OF PIE, 900 people in 1890 and many
more to-day. A map in another column
will chow how it would also be possible,
if desirable, to equalize more nearly the
areas of the three adjoining states, as
thus reconstructed, by taking a strip from
the northern border of New Mexico and
Arizona.
The great point is to prevent any more
abuses of the system of admitting terri
tories into the Union. 1t used to be held
that, with the great growth of the country
to rely on, an evil of that sort would
soon remedy itself, and a weak newcomer
grow strong But the history of Nevada
for the last twenty years has destroyed
that theory. and has shown that past
blunders must not be repeated"
This proposition won't do at ali. In the
first place it is not fair to compare New
Mexico, with all her splendid and varieC
natural resources just now budding int
vigorousife, with barren Nevada, the back
bone of the Rockies, blizzard burdened anC
I'm inviting in all respects. Nor is just tt
compare New Mexico with Utah o.
Arizona, Tor the Mormon element il
both of these territories constitutes one o
the chief objections to their admission al
states. Be it said to New Mexico's credi
Mormonsm has no foothold here.
And speaking of the Mormons, it il
just possible that this subject is the ex
elusive inspiration OF the Suns unreason
able suggestion. Reading between tn
lines one may discover rather solicitor
sentiment in The Suns article on behal
} of the Mormons. 1t would divide Utal
: between Colorado and Nevada and brir
Arizonas large Mormon colonies in d
full-fedged citizens of the Union uDde
New Mexico's brilliant banner. 1t is GU
candid judgment that 80 per cent OF tn
. population of New Mexico would prefer /
remain under territorial government til
dooms-day rather than to be given state
hood honors under any such an arrange
meut