Evening journal., 1899-04-22
ENGLISH IN NEW MEXICO.
American Ideas Are Spreading and
the Territory Now Making
Great Progress.

The territory OF New Mexico, which
was organized in 1850 and had by the
federal census of 1890 a total population
of $4,000, had by the same census the
unenviable distinction of having high.
er ratio Of illiteracy among the white
population than any other civil division
in the United States. Ofthe total mum.
Der of white inhabitants in New Mex.
leo over the age of 10 years, Al per cent,
were returned as illiterate. though in
the country at large the ratio is only
z per cent. Moreover. the ratio of illit.
eracy among the colored population
was higher $50 per cent? in New Mex
leo than in any other state or territory
The number of Spanish-spealking resi-
dents of New Mexico was higher than
in any other civil division of the coun-
try in proportion to the whole popula-
ton. The industrial and educational
backwardness of New Mexico is her
itage of Spanish rule and Spanish meth
DDS, which has been further perpet-
uated by physical conditions of the
territory unfavorable to immigration.
The last report of the interior depart
ment shows. however, that the intro
duction of American notions and the
acceptance of American methods are
bringing about a radical change in New
Mexico, the present population OF
which is put by the territorial governor
at 2s2 COO, due in chief measure to the
influx of new immigrants.
The educational institutions of the
territory are now reported to be in n
flourishing condition. The enrolment
in public schools is given as 15O,327;
average daily attendance. O5,S19; num-
Der of schools. 1885; receipts, $780,
613.Ss; expenditures, 81, 360, 37616. Sew
enty-nine per cent. of the present pop
ulation are able 10 read and write, leav-
ing only 81 per cent. of illiterates
There has been a marked change since
1890,
1t is estimated that the percentage Of
the inhabitants unable TO speak Eng.
fish will not, in 1900, exceed per cent.
as against Gill per cent. as shown
by the census of ten years ago. The
chief bar TO the admission of New Mex
leo as a state has heretofore been not
the dearth of population or lack of ma
i torial resources, but the fact that the
] ratio of illiteracy was so high and the
influence of foreign methods and Gus
toms so great. BY the census of 1890
as before stated. t6e total population
4 Of New Mexico was $4,000 and by tn,
same census Wyoming had population
of G0,O00 and Idaho of $4,000, collective
I ly less than New Mexico, but both have
been admitted into the union with al
,, the rights Of states and with two sen
utors each Nevada, which has been
state since 1854. had, by the last census
total population of only $1,000, an,
Montana had when admitted popula
!, ton of only 10000 North Dakot;
when admitted as a state had a pop
/ ulation of only 10000, and the popu
= lation Of New Mexico nine years ag'
a was very little less than that of Del
: aware. The large number of illiterat
inhabitants in New Mexico. however
has been a bar TO the favorable con
sideration of its desires for statehood
but this bar, it would seem from tn
reports of the interior department, i
being rapidly removed. An encourag
ing evidence of the spread of Amer
: lean ideas in the territory is referee
TO by the secretary of the interior j.
his report, quoting the territorial GOV
ernor: more men in New Mexico re
sponded under each call than were re
quired TO fill our quota. and in thei
4 eagerness TO serve their country it
= estimated that $50 enlisted in the regu
J lar army and in the regiments froT
. the states. some of whom are now wit
Z the army in the Philippine islands
4 Thus New Mexico has furnished los
soldiers for the late war, and would an
could have furnished many more ha
the opportunity been afforded."-N.
Sun.