Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-01-16
THE HEARING OF
GOVERNOR OTER0
W. M. Berger for Almost Four Hours
Harangued the Committee on
Territories.
A SPLENDID VINDICATION
Not Only for Governor 0tero but tor his
Friends Who Had Been Attacked With
Him-The Statehood Delegates
Have Organized.
snecial to the New Mexican.

Washington, Jan. 16.-The committee
on territories of the house of repre-.
sentatives will meet tomorrow and will
give a hearing to the New Mexico dele
cation now at Washington and which
is pushing statehood for the territory
Those who will attend the hearing are
Governor Otero, Delegate Rodey, Ma
jor Llewellyn Hon. Solomon Luna
+ Colonel A. w. Harris, Colonel Thomas
Smith, Dr. Boyd, Ira M. Bond.
1t is the purpose of the delega-
tion to present their claims in as strong
a manner as possible and thus to pave
the way for the statehood campaign at
Washington in February when the en-
tire statehood delegation will be at
Washington.
While there may be short delay in
the confirmation of the nomination OF
Governor Otero, yet it is assured be-
yond doubt. Eugene A. Fiske now
claims that Hon. T. B. Catron Is re-
sponsble for the failure of the opposi-
ton to the re-confirmation of Cover
nor Otero. 1t is even claimed that
Catron's condemnation operated as a
recommendation for Governor Otero,
because Mr.. Catron is thought to be a
persona non grata in Washington Off
cal circles.
The delegates and others interested
in statehood for New Mexico met in a
hall at the Shoreham hotel and organ
lied by electing Colonel George w.
Prichard of White Oaks, president, and
Ira M. Bond of Washington, secretary.
After discussion of ways and means
to best attain their object, Colonel
Prichard headed a subscription list to
defray the expenses Of the necessary
courtesies in Washington, with $1OO,
and in a minute nearly $1,000 was
pledged by the persons present, besides
giving their own time and paying their
own expenses A committee composed
of Chairman Prichard, Delegate B. S.
Rodey, DR.. Boyd, Colonel Harris Ma
jor Llewellyn was appointed to draft a
plan for the statehood campaign at the
national capital.
Governor Otero will return to New
Mexico and there together with Hon.
r. A. Hubbell, chairman of the Repub-
lican territorial committee, and Hon.
o. N. Marion, chairman of the Demo-
cratic territorial committee, select a
committee of Republicans and Demo-
Gratis in each county to collect funds to
carry on the statehood campaign and
do the courtesy act in Washington.
At the hearing before the committee
on territories the other day on the con-
firmation of Governor Otero, w. M.
Berger made pitiable object of him
self to the disgust of the members of
the committee and the humiliation of
the twelve Of more New Mexico citi-
zens present. He attempted to leopard
ize New Mexico's chances for state
hood out of no other motive apparent
ly than the spite, envy, jealousy and
malice of few men who can be enum-
Grated on the fingers Of one hand. Not
withstanding that Hon. T. B. Catron
and Berger had been notified that they
would both be permitted to appear and
address the committee, Berger only
appeared and reported that Catron had
gone to New York the night before. He
made all kinds of excuses and apollo
ries. saying that he had not expected
to present the case, but others We're to
do that; and that e. A. Fiske has left
Santa Fe to present the case.
The committee informed him that ne
should proceed without SO many ex-
cuses as time was valuable and that
he had known for months that he was
going to oppose the confirmation, that
he was alone to blame If not ready. He
said that he had been told that the
case would be referred to a sub-com-
mittee. The chairman quickly said
that no person had any authority to
make such a statement and that the
whole committee desired to hear the
whole case.
Berger started with his trump card,
the twelve or more typewriter pages
of an affidavit by T. B. Catron OF
generalities, abuse and villif1cation OF
governor otero, Colonel J. Francisco
Chayes. Colonel Max. Frost and Hon.
w. e. Martin. Although repeatedly
called on by the chairman and ev-
ery member Of the full committee for
specific charges and not generalities,
and that all members Of the committee
were lawyers and several of them had
practiced for fifty years, and that they
insisted on presenting specific charges
Berger would apologize and OFFER ex-
cuses that he had not expected to pre-.
sent the case, that he did not know
what any Of the papers contained thai
he filed until he read them; till every
member Of the committee was evident
" disgusted. Still he blundered, hesi-
tated and stumbled along.
Besides Governor Otero some OF MS
friends present were Delegate 3. 8
Rodey. United States Attorney ". =
Childers, United States Attorney OF tne
Court Of Private Land Claims Mattn.
ew q. Reynolds, Judge Thomas Smith
Judge Seeds, District Attorney w. Il
H. Llewellyn, DR., Nathan Boyd, Assis.
tant Attorney Of the Court OF Private
Land Claims W. H. Pope, G. H. Gil
dersleeve, Edmund Burke, Genera
Freeman and several others.
Colonel Prichard at the beginning o
the hearing informed the committee