Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-12-14
THE GOVERNOR TALKS.
New MeXico's Prosperity as Detailed
to the New York Mail and
Express.

1h2 New York Mail and Express of
Thursday last prints the following:
Hon. L. Bradford Prince, governor of
New Mexico, has been in town for few
days, and representative Of the Mail
and Express made some inq uiries of him
yesterday to obtain fresh information
with regard to the territory. He was
asked:
How are affairs in New Mexico at
PRESENT."
Everything is progressing favorably.
Our wool crop this year was 100000
pounds and produced $2,500,O0O. Our
mines are in successful operation. Irri-
cation enterprises are charging the area
of land fitted for cultivation and orchards
are being plantedin almost every section.
The only cloud on our prosperity comes
from the fear of tariff reduction, which
seriously affect our wool and mining in
dustries, but we hope that nothing SO
injurious will be done"
what is the prospect for statehood"
THAT is the all-important question with
US just now. The territory has long been
entitled to admission on every ground,
and our people feel inuch aggrieved at the
long delay. In population we have almost
100000, considerably more than that of
Wyoming and Idaho combined. By the
last census we had $4,000 and those two
states together but $4,000. In fact, of
all the territories admitted from the be-
ginning, none has ever had the popula-
ton of New Mexico at the time of its ad-
mission, except Dakota.
UNLIMITED RESOURCES
"We have almost unlimited natural re-
sources, and an actual taxable valuation
far exceeding that of most new states.
The peculiar character of our population
combining the energy of the eastern i'm
migrant with the conservatism of the
Spanish-American, gives greater stability
than is usual in western communities"
HAS there not been an objection on the
score of the illiteracy of the people?"
Eyes, that objection used to be urged,
though usually by those who really had
some other reason for opposition; but
the foundation for it has practically dis
appeared. The last legislature passed
an admirable school law, and public edu-
cation is now making rapid strides in
oNolS ltHptSt anu IedCilSo All heCbiOuS anu
classes"
What is the present condition of the
struggle for admission?"
well, the house passed the enabling
act last summer almost unanimously, and
it is now in the senate. In the latter body
there seems to be considerable opposi-
ton, and the senate committee has made
some amendments which we consider very
unjust.
"The house bill gives to the new state
double the usual amount of public lands
for educational purposes. This is only
right, because the public lands now re-
naming are almost entirely arid and
only fit for grazing and consequently of
very little value. The best lands were
occupied centuries ago by Spanish settle
ments and grants. The double amount
will not put us on an equality with the
other new states, yet the senate has
stricken out this extra allowance. We
hope that this may be restored as sim
pie matter of justice, and to start our
educational system with proper school
fund"
PARTIES EQUALLY DIVIDED.
W udp Will De lhc poIiulCdl COul pleAlOH
of the new statey'
"The parties are quite evenly divided.
The immigration from Missouri and
Texas is largely Democratic and that
from Kansas, Iowa, etc, correspondingly
Republican. A majority of the native
citizens are Republican,. There is q
popular belief that the territory is Demo-
cratic, because Mr.. Joseph, who is a Dem
ocrat, has been elected delegate to con
gress several times. But there have been
local and personal reasons for that.
AT the election a month ago the Re-
publicans carried the territory by nearly
1000 on a straight party vote. Although
Mr.. Joseph, by running largely ahead of
his ticket, was elected. believe New
Mexico to be safely Republican; at least
it is debatable ground, with the chances
favoring the Republicans.
1--WE claim, however, that we are en-
titled to admission as a matter of right,
regardless of politics; that normal Amer
lean citizenship means self-government,
and that a territorial form is only in
tended to be temporary while the popula-
ton is too small and sparse to support q
local government. There is no doubt
that in any event New Mexico will be
made a state by the next congress, and
the Republicans there are all anxious
that the present Republican senate should
pass the bill now and thus have the credit
of the admission.
II am going to Washington to endeavor
to place the facts before some of the
leading senators, but can not stay long,
as our legislature meets in Dec. 26, and,
of course, certain preparations have to be
made for that"