Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-02-11
Another Case Of Outside Misrepresentation

The following editorial article, which
appeared in a recent issue of the West
ern Christian Advocate, a religious paper
published in Denver, is worth reading
by the people of New Mexico, not for
the truth it contains, but for the mis-
representations and prejudices shown
against this territory, therein:
THE message of Governor Otero to
the New Mexico territorial legislature
on Monday is a striking contrast to that
of his neighbor, Governor Thomas of
Colorado. Governor Thomas would lay
the foundations of Colorado's greatness
in her educational system, and while he
advises retrenchment in other depart
ments of state expenditure he urges an
increased expenditure for her education
al institutions.
Governor Otero, on the other hand,
pursues exactly the opposite path. He
recommends the issuance of bonds for
other purposes, but the cutting down of
appropriations for educational institu-
tions which have too much money from
the territory.
IHdu VIII DcdI iOohluS Nv lOl u Hlo-
ment. Times have changed since the
publication of the United States census
in 1890. The percentage of illiteracy is
not so appalling. But in 1890 there
were but two states lower down in the
scale of illiteracy than New Mexico. 1t
is perfectly incredible that in these eight
years the situation has changed very
wonderfully. We do not know what
per cent of the population can read and
write now. But it is certain that with
the discouragements education has to
labor under. the statement concerning
the rise in the per cent of those who
can read and write is very largely an
exaggeration.
New Mexican you want capital, i'm
migration, u new type OF civilization!
The way to get it is not in choking edu-
cation, to build p~alatial capitols. We
would ask those who s%ympathize with
Governor Otero in his repression of the
educational system for the erection of
the capitol building. of what advantage
was the last beautiful structure? What
New Mexico needs is a type of men who
will not dare to repeat the tragic history
of the last capitol building. And the
friends of New Mexico must awake to
the fact that that type is not to be Sc
cured by REFRESHING education and keep
ing the fair territory at the ignominious
bottom of the list in illiteracy."
Those who have read Governor Otero's
message know full well that he did not
recommend the gripping of the educa-
tional institutions of the territory by the
reduction of appropriations below a
point where they would be useless: what
he did recommend was that the expenses
of such institutions should be kept at the
lowest possible point because of the
financial condition of the territory. The
bonds recommended by the governor are
not for the purpose of increasing the in
debtedness of the territory, but for TAX
ing care of outstanding obligations at a
lower rate of interest, thus reducing the
fixed charges which the tax payers are
compelled to meet every year. The in
situation made that Governor Otero is
opposed to the support of education and
educational institutions is the general
outcome of jealousy and has no founda-
ton in fact whatever. The cause of
education in New Mexico is laboring
under no disadvantages whatever. The
territorial legislature is doing everything
in its power to build up the public
schools, to improve the higher %institu-
tions and to give the youth of the terri
tory as good schools as the wealth and
taxable property will permit.
The slur cast upon the efforts of the
people TO build q new capitol building is