Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-12-26
STATEHOOD ASSURED
New Mezico's Loyalty to the Repub-
lican Party Will Bring a Just
Reward.
MR.. PEREA IMPRESSED THEM
Launched in Washington Under Favorable
Confederation. T. B. Catron Believes
Next Session of CONGRESS- Will Bring
About Desired Results.

Hon. n. B. Catron, interviewed by a
New Mexican representative, said, re-
garding Mr.. Perea's standing in Wash
ington and the possibility of state
hood:
MIR. Perea met me in Washington,
and he became well acquainted with
the various members of congress, Doth
in the senate and house. He made a
good impression, and will enter on his
duties better equipped for active work
than any previous delegate.
I'VE found that Mr.. FERGUSON had
no statehood bill pending in congress.
1t is true that he once had one but
when he desired to secure the passage
of an act donating lands for education
al and other purposes, he seemed to
think it necessary to dispose of the
statehood bill first, so he had it called
up before the committee and secured
action on it, with the idea that the
statehood bill stood in the way of pub
lie land donations. AS a natural result,
the statehood bill was laid on the ia
bic by the committee. This action left
statehood in an ~unfavOrable condition,
for there is a practice in the house
(Which also prevails in the committee)
that when a bill is once disposed of, it
cannot again be acted on during the
session.
''TODpinU the last CpSGinn thapa wore
a number of Republicans on the com
mittee who did not believe hat any
new states should be admitted. They
have very materially changed their
opinions since the last election and are
decidedly more favorable to statehood
than they We're a year ago. The same
is true in the whole house of represent
atives. In fact, there seems to be a
very general change relative to the adj
mission of New Mexico and Oklahoma,
and the senators and congressman are
thoroughly posted on the fact hat New
Mexico will be a Republican state,
pledged to protective tariff and sound
money. The last election in New Mex
leo has been thoroughly ~canvassed and
investigated by all of the members.
While they say that owing to the great
press Of business it will be practically
impossible to act on statehood bills at
this short session, they assure us that
at the neXt session there will be but
little doubt about the admission of
New Mexico. Bills for admission were
introduced by Representative Broder-
ick, of Kansas, in the house and by
ate. The bills contain practically the
same provisions as the bill introduced
by myself in the saith congress, elm
mating from them, however, the lands
which have been donated for educa-
tional purposes, and providing that IT,
ties to the lands coded to the state, be
passed free of land office charges, anG
that indemnity shall apply to all res
ervations as well is lands disposed OF
otherwise by the government.
Il think it quite probable that botf
bills will be reported on favorably, but
do not think that they can possibly be
acted on by either the senate or the
house during this short session, for the
reason that every effort is being made
to pass the general appropriation bills
which, it is claimed, will require nearly
all the time from now until March 4. A
bill for the reorganization of the army
and another for making a territorial,
government of Hawaii, will consume
considerable time, and it is thought
that the senate will attempt to ratify
the Spanish-American peace treaty
during the session. 1t is probable thai
no time will be left for considering the
admission of a new state.
The status of New Mexico in Wash
ington is better today than it has beer
since the territory was acquired by the
United States. / believe that the pros.
poets of admission during the next con
gress are better than they have ever
been, and I do not believe that we will
be forced to wait longer than the next
session."