Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-04-24
Reasons for Admitting New Mexico
As State Given By Hon.
L. B. Prince.
TIMELY, PATRIOTIC ADDRESS
New Mexico Does Not Beg But Demands
Statehood Government Is An
Inherent Right Of the Amer
ican People.

Prince before the trans Mississippi con-
gress at Houston, Tex:
The idea which 1 wish to emphasize
in speaking on this subject to-day is
that in respect to the three territories Of
New Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma
certainly so far as New Mexico is con-
cerned-admission to statehood Is not a
thing to be begged for as a privilege,
but should be conceded as a right
Self-government is an inherent right
Of American citizenship; in fact, it is
inseparable from the fundamental prin-
ciples of republican institutions. The
right to a representative voice in the
legislative body which enacts the laws
which he is to obey. and imposes the
taxes which he is obliged to pay. is one
dear to every American, and the right
to take part in the selection of the ma
tional chief magistrate, and Of the local
governor and similar officials, is like
wise one of which he will not willingly
be deprived.
These principles of government
are so fundamental in our institutions
that no citizen should be deprived of the
right except under such peculiar cir
cumstances as render its exercise inn
possible or dangerous. When a popula-
tion is so sparse that it Is not able to
support local government, or that
elections are impracticable, one of these
exceptional cases occurs, and such
population has to be ruled in some 9TH
er way, and is deprived temporarily Of
it's right to self-government; but the
moment the peculiar conditions are re-
moved, the disability should vanish with
it, and the citizen should regain his in
herent right.
To apply this practically, while in a
section of country the people are so few
or so poor as to make government
impossible, they can be temporarily Or
ganized under territorial government
in order to protect life and property;
but the moment they are able to be-
come self~governing, they are entitled
to that right. A territorial condition Is
an exceptional one, only intended as
temporary expedient, and Is in deroga-
tion Of the civil rights of all the citizens
affected thereby; and as the normal
condition Of an American citizen Is one
Of self-government, the burden Of proof
is upon those who desire to continue the
abnormal form. and not upon those who
insist on the organization Of state.
No hot ~
exists in relation to the people of New
Mexico which justifies their being long
er deprived Of their full rights under a
state government. If one Of them moves
into Colorado, or into Texas, he is i'm
mediately invested with the full rights
of American citizenship; If he moves
back, he loses them. This Is absurd and
improper. He is no more intelligent or
honest or patriotic because he has
crossed an imaginary line, nor does he
lose any good qualities when he re-
crosses 1t.
New Mexico has been a territory for
half a century. In 1850 it adopted a state
constitution, elected state officers, and
ators. but while on their journey to
Washington they were met by the news
of the passage on September Of the
famous compromise measure, which ad-
mitted California as a state and rele-
gated New Mexico to q territorial con-
dition. From that time to the present
attempts to secure admission have con-
stantly been made. In 1874 an enabling
act was passed in the house of repre-
sentatives by 16O to 81, and in the SEN
ate by 1872 to Ill, but being slightly
amended in the senate, it failed for lack
of time to secure concurrence in the
house. From then till now a series of
accidents or political considerations at
Washington have prevented its admis-
sion. This has been a sad drawback, as
territorial condition deters both i'm
migration and also the investment of
money to develop resources. Neverthe-
less, 1t has made great progress
It's population is stated in the last re-
port of the governor at 260,5O0, exclusive
of Indians. No territory at the time Of
its admission has contained so many
people except Dakota. The statistics Of
the whole list of territories which have
been admitted from 1895 to the present
show that, excepting Dakota, they have
had an average population of less than
O,OOO at the time of admission. The
population of New Mexico exceeds that
of considerable number Of existing
states, both old and new.
In its character it is almost exclusive
ly American. The foreign element Is
smaller there than anywhere in the
country except in certain southern
states. A comparison with those recent
ly admitted Is instructive in this regard.
BY the census of 1890 New Mexico con-
tanned 1880 foreign-born inhabitants to
1901 native born, or less than seven
and one-half to a hundred. Washing
ton and Utah had "a foreign to 100 ma
tives; Wyoming had SO to l0o Montana.
4S to 100, and North Dakota 80 to 100.
Even in the older states, New York and
Michigan had IS to 100; Massachusetts,
Al: Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Cali
fornia IS; and Minnesota, Sc. So that
New Mexico looms up as specially ma
tive American community.
But to many In the east the large
number Of voters of Spanish descent IL
looked upon as a misfortune. This II .
mistake. for It is the possession Of that
conservative element in connection with
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