Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-15
CASE OF NEW MEXICO
MR.. FRANK CLANCY TALKS ON
STATEHOOD.
Criticises the Senate Committees Re-
port-Says People Are Law-Abiding
and Worthy to Be Admitted.

Mr.. Frank w. Clancy, who lives at Albu-
querque, N. NJ, and is a member of the
bar of that territory, is in Washington on
business pending in the Supreme Court, and
a Star reporter has obtained from him some
expressions of views as to the statehood for
New Mexico. Mr.. Clancy formerly lived IN
Washington, but has lived for many years
in New Mexico, and his character and
standing are such as to make anything he
says of value in view Of his knowledge and
familiarity Of New Mexican condition. He
was questioned as follows:
What do you think of the proposition to
unite New Mexico and Arizona and admit
them as one state?"
1T requires no thought. Such bill Is
not seriously considered by any one. 1t
cannot pass either house. and if it could
the people of the territories would not even
elect, delegates to a constitutional conven-
ton, and no man could be found willing to
be a candidate for election to such a con-
vention. 1t would be more reasonable to
talk of making four states of New Mexico
and Arizona, as Senator Morgan once sug-
gested. 1t cannot be that the President
ever expressed approval of such a plan
What is your opinion of the objections
to New Mexico set up in Senator Bever-
idge's report?
Senator Beverages Objections.
In advance of seeing the report, which
is still withheld for revision, although it
was due on December 3, it is difficult to
answer that. From what I have learned
however, the objections appear to rely for
success upon an appeal to the ignoble pref
udice which is assumed to be always pres
ent in the Anglo-SaXon mind against all
other races. 1t is represented that a large
part of our population is of Spanish de-
scent, that many of them cannot speak
English and that some of them are illiterate.
These things are true, but it does not fol-
low that these people are not good citizens.
AS matter of fact, they are, as a whole,
greater respect for all lawfully constituted
authority than the average citizen of En-
glish descent. Those counties in New
Mexico where they are largely in the ma
jority have less crime and disorder than
those in which so-called Americans pre-
dominate, and less than in most counties
anywhere in the United States
They are progressive in the best sence Of
the word, ready to adopt new ideas when
shown their value, and eager for the adj
Vantages of education to an extent that is
touching to see. And the existing iliteracy
is diminishing with marvellous rapidity
Under our school law school districts are
allowed by vote to levy special taxes upon
their property for school purposes in addi-
ton to the large general tax, and it is in
the Mexican communities that advantage is
taken of this provision. These are the
people Who shortly after the American an
neXatlon, confiding in the promise of the
u Sdty llldt tUcy SHOulO De Incorporated into
the Union, held q convention more than
nifty years ago and framed q state constitu-
ton which prohibited human slavery in any
form. Those of the present day are much
iurlher advanced IN every way, but they
nave the same love for liberty and freedom
which animated their fathers in 1850. and
nave developed strong devotion to our in
sttutlons and government as best calculat-
ed to crafty that desire
L speak of these things because if is nm
oouotedly the fact that there is a general
lack OF knowledge to the character and
disposition OF this part Of our population"
Testimony Taken by Committee.
us it not the fact that the Testimony
taken by the committee shows New Mex
lcos unfitness for statehood"
No one has yet seen that testimony ont
SIDE or the committee, but 1t cannot possi-
bly, prove anything of the kind L have no
doubt that it makes the worst possible
showing for New Mexico as II was eyi
denuy taken for that purpose, and not with
any impartial and judicial intent. The
complaint is universal in New Mexico that
.ne committee called only such witnesses
ana sought to elicit only such testimony
as We're expected to reflect discredit unon
us, ana whatever they obtained of a differ
ent character was accidental and undes!red.
Ihey stayed part of day in Los Vegas a
day in Santa Fe and three DAYS in Al
buqurque, and in this length of time assume
to have familiaFized themselves with n
country containing about $4,000 square
mAes-an area nearly four times as great 9
that of the state Of the chairman of the
committee, and more than thirteen times nc
great as either of the states of the amiable
gentlemen from New England who were
members of the committee"
WAT would be the political complexion
OF the new states If admitted?'
of Oklahoma I do not know enough To
say. L believe Arizona would be demo-