Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-12-14
MONDAY EVENING, oEc- IA, 1896.
.rarEHoop FOR NEW MEXICO.

Albuquerque CtttSen mas the ioio"inE
articles relative to the admission oil
New Mexico to the sisterhood of states,
and seems in doubt which OF the two Is
authentic. The items say:
WASHINGTON, d. c., December Dele
gate Catron, of New Mexico, says that ne
intends to push the bill for the admission
of New Mexico as a state, and, "
standing the prejudicss which he realizes
he will have to overcome, he Is hopefui OF
its passage. He will, however, make an
amendment to the bill, which will pro-
vide that it is not to take effect until
two years after its passage. This, he
thinks, will do away with the opposition
which would arise IL there was q danger
that the passage of the bill would Jeopar-
die the sound money majority in the
senate.
The above is a special dispatch to the
Globe Democrat. There must have been
some mistake in the Associated Press dis
patch sent out yesterday and which was
published in the Citizen as follows:
WASHINGTON, d O., December l0.-That
favorable action is not expected very soon
ON the bill to admit New Mexico into state
hood was made evident to-day when Dele
gate Catron, at a meeting OF the mouse
committee on Territories. gave notice that
at a future meeting he would move consid'
Grafton of a bill providing for the admis-
sion of New Mexico to be postponed two
years.
From The OPTIC'S viewpoint, we
think that even if this Territory is put
on definite probation for two years
longer, which according to the first
item is likely to happen, but at the
expiration of that time the wishes OF
the people shall become a reality, that
term will not initiate so much against
the progress of New Mexico to such a
degree as might be supposed, but Will
give notice, that at the end OF that
time the night of waiting will have
dawned to the bright day of statehood
and will be advantageous to us all in
that people will have preparation for
the change and be ready to avail them
selves of all its benefits even though
they be delayed in coming to US.
One of the principal gains from
statehood would be derived from per-
hitting aliens to hold real estate
which term means mines, as well as
irrIgable lands, ami SO forth. IA
Illustrative of this, we point to Colo
RADIO and call attention to the wondrous
march of progress that state has made
under the expanding influence of
foreign capital and alien ownership of
lands, and we assert that New Mexico
al IN q few short years eclipse Colo
RADIO 10 advancement and added wealth
if the "alien law, now ~obstructing
her progress, be repealed as it would
undoubtedly be when New Mexico
shall be admitted to the union of states.
To bear out this assertion, THE
OPTIc gives the following extract from
the Denver Republican of December
18th, relative to this matter, and as
discussed in the halls of congress the
10th ult:
Mr.. Scranton (Rep., Pa from the Com
mittee on Territories, then called up the
bill to amend the act forbidding alien
ownership of lands in the Territories.
The bill sought to enablea aliens to acquire
title to real property under mortgage fore
closure, but by the terms of tho bill they
must dispose OF such title within ten years.
Mr.. Hepburn, OF Iowa, caused something
Of a furry by undertaking to arraign the
supporters of the bill on the ground that
they were proposing to go back on the
platform plank against alien ownership.
His remarks were particularly directed
against the populists, who, be said, after
declaring against alien ownership, were
now in favor of allowing aliens to acquire
all they had heretofore declared should be-
long only to American citizens.
Mr.. Catron (Rep. N. NJ, the spo nsor for
the bill, declared that the bill did not per.
ILL dlicn OHHcioulp. IL Ouly PeTLulJt6Q
aliens in certain contingencies to hold
real property for ten years. Its purpose,
he said, was to enable the people of the
Territories to get some of the benefits of
foreign capital. Capital was needed to
develop the resources of the Territory, and,
under the present law, no alien could own
a dollar of real property and no capital
could be invested.
He admitted that a combination of pop
ulists aud democrats had carried New
Mexico at the late election.
Mr. Hepburn declared that il that were
the case the people of New Mexico should
have an object lesson. They should be
taught to understand that their Territory
cannot grow under populist doctrines.
Mr.. Bell Pop, Colo. } made a defense of
populism, and declared that unless by the
terms of the bill it was restricted to the
protection of foreign Investments in min
ing claims. which could not be developed
by private capital, he would oppose it.
MIR. Murphy, delegate from Arizona,
said no great national question was in
yolvsd in the bill. Aliens could not &C.
quire permanent ownership under it.
It was simply a question of whether the
Territories should be enabled to invite
foreign capital to develop their resources.
1t would be but simple justice to give the
people OF the Territories this opportunity
to obtain the capital needed.
Mr.. Flynn, delegate from Oklahoma, said