Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-01-20
LOCATION OF new MEXICO'S CAPITAL.
Favorable Report of Committee on Terri
tories on House Resolution 4066-
Governor 0tero's Letter In
dorsing the Bill.

On Januay ~ last, Mr.. FERGUSON for
the committee on territories made the
following favorable report:
The committee on the territories. to
whom was referred the bill Oh. B. 4066)
ITO permanently locate the capital of
the territory of New Mexico at the city
of Santa Fe, in the same territory, hav-
ing had the same under consideration,
report the bill back without amendment,
and recommend that the same be passed.
The people of the territory of New
Mexico were empowered by the enab-
ling act to locate the capital, and this
was done about the time of the creation
of the territory, through the legislative
assembly of the territory of New Mexico,
at the city of Santa Fe, in said territory.
The said city of Santa Fe has remained
continuously as such capital to the pres
ent time, and your committee reports,
from information submitted to them,
that IA large majority of the people OF
the territory of New Mexico desire that
the capital shall remain as located.
The last legislature of the territory OF
New Mexico but n appropriated from
| the territorial funds the sum of $75 900
to build the capitol building in the said
capital. The last legislature, which sat
in the year 1897, did not disturb that &C
ton, thereby practically confirming the
action of the prior legislature. Bonds
have been sold to erect this building,
and the work is now in progress. Ten
or IL years ago, an agitation began on
the part of the people of Albuquerque
to have the capital removed from Santa
Fe to the city of Albuquerque by vote
of the Legislature. The agitation over
this question has grown bitter, though
every succeeding legislature has refused
to change the capital from it's present
location. The contest has degenerated
until it is used as a means of trading,
and the best people of the territory of
New Mexico think that it is the best in
terest of the territory that this contest
should cease and that congress should.
fix Santa Fee as the capital.
The bill was introduced by the pres
ent delegate of the territory of New
Mexico, in congress, and his efforts have
been supplemented by the recommends
ton to the same effect of the present
governor of the territory of New Mexico,
and Il letter addressed to the chairman
of this committee by the said governor
is as follows:
Hon. w. S. Knox. Chairman on the Terri
tories, House of Representatives. Washing
ington, d. c.
Sir: Hon. H. b. Ferguson, delegate
to congress from New Mexico, requests
Inc to write you briefly my views regard
ing II. r. 4066, ''that the city of Santa
Fe, in the county of Santa Fe and terri
tory of New Mexico. shall be and remain
the seat of government of the territory
of New Mexico"
l most heartily unite with MIR. Fer
gusson in urging the early passage Of
this bill. Santa Fe has always been the
capital of the territory, and should be,
and, if left to a vote of the people, would
SO remain, by a large majority.
| regret to say, that for years past,
almost every legislature has had "a
capital removal bill' introduced, which
very much disturbs the business inter-
ests of the territory, and has been the
means of forcing legislation on the ter
ritory that otherwise would not have
been considered"
! Very respectfully,
MIGUEL A. OTERo,
Governor of New Mexico.
Your committee therefore recommend
that the bill pass.