Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-13
Justice to New Mexico.
. Editor Of The Evening Star:

To the Editor Of The Evening Star
The New Mexico people residing in Wash
! tngton were much pleased to read the inter
| view with Mrs. l.. Bradford Prince IN YES
| terday's Star, relative to the article entitled
| I'm Rural New Mexico" copied from the
| st. Louis Globe-Democrat. Eastern people
/ who are fair minded express great surprise
| when, upon visiting New Mexico, they find
| the civilization Of the territory equal. if not
| superior, to many sections in the east The
| territory is anxious for a fair and truth ful
| exposition Of its varied resources and adj
| Nantages in the press of the states" The
| correspondents travelling through New
! Mexico are treated with respect and con-
sideratiOn by its people. AS a general rule
| they do credit to the subject, but Occa sion
| ally writer pictures the situation from his
| own fertile Imagination, and it is que stion-
| able whether he visited the territory or
wrote up the ideas presented in his Journal
| from the home office.
| We are going to make one grand unit ed
| effort for statehood during the next session
| of Congress, and as Mrs. Prince truly SAYS
| There are more Americans in New Mexico
| in proportion to her inhabitants than in anv
| other portion of the United States 4
| greater proportion fought in the civil war
| than in any other portion of the country -
| and she might have added lin the Spanish
! war too AmeriCanisIn will be one of the
| strong points in our fight for admission
| Very few of the native Americans of Next
|
| New Mexico belonged to Mexico are now
| living. Their children were born under the
United States flag and are as loyal to IT and
| as firmly AmeriCaniZed as the Oldest ma
| tives of New England. Aliens, so plentiful
| in this section of the country, are almost
unknown there, and the term Mexican"
| in the sense generally applied to the natives
| of New Mexico is a misnomer These ma
| tive Americans of New Mexico are an ex-
tremely honorable class. If one of them
owes q dollar and payment is due he never
| fails to meet the obligation. You will find
him sitting your doorstep in the morn
| ing waiting to pay over the money, no mat
ter what his circumstances may be- He
comes OF an honorable and gentle race His
great hospitality is well known. The trav-
| eier In the rural districts cannot pay dol
lar for his entertainment. 1t may be hum
i bic and of the simplest kind, but is given
| free.
| When the railroad first reached the terri
| tory in 1879 there was much disorder and
| lawlessneSs, brought about by the large in
! fux of American citizens from the east
This lasted for a year or two when the
| better element got the upper hand and the
| thieves, gamblers and disreputable char
| acters generally were made to move on
| Now life and property are Just as sacred al
IN rural New York. If minded and
! otherwise intelligent people in this section
| would consider our position from this stand
| point and dismiss from their minds the idea
| that New Mexico is the land of the sreaser
/ and the wild-eyed cowboy our chances for
| admission to the galaxy of states will in
crease hundred fold. Much has been writ
| ten and published to do us harm lust as
| Cuba Is being imposed upon now by a num-
| Der of eager and prolific writer's many of
/ whom evidently never saw the island, but
we hope for better day and believe in the
! ultimate justice and honor OF the great
| American people to set matters right and
| give to New Mexico her rights under the
| Constitution and laws of the country
| May II, 1899. NEW MEXICAN.