Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-12-13
LAS CRUCES
IS LOOKING UP
It's Chamber of Commerce is
Working Hard to Steer the
Old Town Into the Cur
rent Of Progress.
A STATEHOOD DISCUSSION
The Survey Of Railroad from
Alamogordo to Deming
Via the Mesilla
Valley.
A STATEHOOD DISCUSSION


Valley.
| Special Correspondence New Mexican.
Las Cruces, Dec 1.-THE one
thought uppermost in the minds of the
people of this section at this time is
the question of statehood. Everything
that is suggested as to the chances OF
the territory for admission among the
sisterhood of states and as to the va
rying phases of the problem is listened
| to with avidity. The people of this
county are practically unanimous in
support of the present omnibus bill. In
| fact, among all the acquaintances of
the writer throughout this county he
can call to mind not more than per-
sons who are opposed to immediate ad-
mission of the territory. The Republic
can vote at the election last month was
a fair index of the popular interest in
the subject, and that interest was so
great that it swept every Republican
ed majorties. The county Is Republi-
can on a normal vote on the usual is
sues by probably 200; but in the last
election the average vote for the can
didates for that party was in the neigh
borhood of 700. However, it is only fair
to state that the action of Judge Fall
and his friends in the matter Of sup
porting the Republican ticket had much
to do with the result. The action of
this shrewd political strategist in lend
ing his aid, at this election, to his old
political enemies so demoralized the op-
position that it can be said the latter
were not in the race. Something is to
be said, too, in favor of the good polit-
ical management of Hon. Martin Loh-
man, the chairman of the Republican
county committee. He harmonized all
differences and gave the party ticket
an impetus and a standing before the
voters which added much to it's pres.
tige
But coming back to the statehood
question, l would say that at this mo-
ment, the statehood people are very
far from sanguine as ito a favorable re-
suit. They size the situation up to be
that the national administration has
weakened" upon the proposition and,
if not hostile, is exceedingly lukewarm.
A veto by the president Is anticipated
even by many people. For this we can
probably thank Senator Beveridge. 1t
is also considered that the reasons for
the present opposition are not those
that are put now to the front, but the
true reason is the dislike of the great
staJtes of the east, which have for the
past forty years SKINNED the cream
from the government expenditures, to|
admit any more states to the pie coun-
ter. The one answer to all their argu-
ments as to |tIhe fitness of the people of
the territory for statehood Is the fact
that during the past so years, during
all of which time the people have gov
erned themselves in the matter of all
local interests, the affairs Of the terri
tory have been administered with just
as much wisdom, conservatism and
honesty as those of the average state of
uhe union. Our legislatures have fallen
far below the ideal; but compare them
with the legislatures of Pennsylvania,
Delaware. New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Me-
braska Colorado, Montana, California,
Oregon, Washington and others too
numerous to mention, and see how well
our legislators have "sized up with
those Of the states mentioned in the ell
ements of craftsmanship and purity.
Turning from the political to other
fields, would say that this town isl
basking in the assurance Of new rail- |
road, ITO run from Alamogordo via the
Organ Pass and Las Cruces to Deming.
AT Alamogordo, the proposed road will
connect with the Rock Island and at
Las Cruces with the Santa Fe; at DEM |
ing the connection will not only be with
the Santa Fe, but with the Bisbee road
and the Southern Pacific. Its construc- |
ton will shorten the route via the Rock |
Island about 70 miles to the Pacific |
coast, and vi is expected that as soon as
open for travel that all the Rock Island |
through business TO and from the coast
will run this way. Besides this sub
stantial argument for the construction
of THE road, it Is well established that
the local traffic alone will pay good
dividend on the cost of constructing |
and operating the new road. At pres
ent matters are so far advanced that
Mr.. C. c. Small, an old and experienced |
civil engineer, is in the field with a |
large corps of assistants surveying the
route Of the road through the Organ |
Pass. 1t is said that there are no great |
engineering difficulties in the way; but
an easy grade can be found on the east
side Of the mountains, and on THE west
side the grade is not excessive. The men
in the enterprise are well
known in financial circles In the east,
and. it is said, have ample capital to
construct the road. So far, they have
shown their good faith by subscribing
the funds required by the territorial
laws and by placing the same in the
hands Of the treasurer OF the company.
The present preliminary survey too,
will cost quite sum. The initiation Of