Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-12-22

The Citizen has received a marked
copy OF the Washington. d. c., Star,
which contains the following inter
view with Hon. Frank w. Clancy, who
was at the national capital attending
the United States supreme court and
talking statehood. The interview is
to the point and is here reproduced in
full:
Frank w. Clancy. who lives at AL.
buquerque, N. M, and is a member OF
the bar of that territory, is in Wash
ington on business pending in the SUI
preme court, and a Star reporter has
obtained from him some expressions
of views as to 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 any
thing he says of value. in view of his
knowledge and familiarity of New
Mexican condition. He was questioned
rs follows:
"'What do you think of the PROPOSE
ton to unite New Mexico and Arizona
and admit them as one slater
Tt requires no thought. Such a bill
is lot seriously considered by anyone.
1t cannot pass either house. and IL it
could the people of the territories
would not even elect delegates to a
constitutional convention. and no man
could be found willing to be a candi-
date for election to such a convention.
II would be more reasonable to talk
Of making four states OF New Mexico
and Arizona. as Senator Morgan once
suggested. 1t connot be that the pres
ident ever expressed approval of such
a plan
"sWhat is your opinion of the objec-
lions to New Mexico set up in Senator
B~everidge's report?'
Senator B~everidue's Objections.
"Tn advance of seeing the report.
which is still withheld for revision, al
though it was due on December 3, it is
difficult to answer that. From what |
have learned, however, the objections
appear to rely for success upon an APP
peal to the ignoble prejudice which is
assumed to be always present in the
A~nglo-Saxon mind against all other
races. 1t is represented that a large
part of our population is OF Spanish
descent, many of them cannot speak
English and that some of them are il
literate. These things are true. but it
does not follow hat these people are
not good citizens. AS a matter OF fact,
they are, as a whole. orderly, peacea-
BILE, law abiding, with a greater re-
spect for all lawfully constituted au-
thority than the average citizen OF
English descent. Those counties in
New Mexico where they are largely in
the majority have less crime and dis
order than those in which so-called
Americans predominant, and less than
in most counties anywhere in the Un-
tied States.
""rhey are progressive in the best
sense of the word, ready to adopt new
ideas when shown their value. and
eager for the advantages of education
to an extent that is touching to see,
And the existing initeracy is diminish
ing with marvellous rapiditv. Under
our school law school districts are al
lowed by vote to levy special taxes
upon their property for school pur.
poses in addition to the large general
tax, and il is in the American commu'
mites that advantage is taken OF this
provision. These are the people who
shortly after the annexation, confiid
ing in the promise of the treaty that
Ala.w Chnu1d hn faEnn intn the Ininn
held a convention more than fifty years
ago and framed a state constitution
which prohibited human slavery in
any form. Those of the present day
are much farther advanced in every
way, but they have the same love fol
liberty and freedom which animated
their fathers in 1850. and have devel
oped strong devotion to our institu
tions and govepment as best calculat
ed to crafty that desire. .
"T speak of these things because Il
is undoubtedly the fact that there is
general lack of knowledge as to thu
character and disposition Of this par
OF our population
Testimony Taken by Committee.
Is IL not the TACT mat the teslimo
ny taken by the committee shows New
Mexico's unfitness for statehood?
"sNo one has yet seen that testimo
ny outside of the committee. but it car
not possibly prove anything of tn
kind. have no doubt that it make
the worst possible showing for NeY
Mexico, as 1t was evidently taken TO
that purpose, and not with any impair
tial and judicial intent. The complain
is universal in New Mexico that tn
committee called only such witnesse
and sought to elicit only such test
mony as were expected to Illicit dis
credit upon US, and whatever they oil
tsined of a different character was az
cidental and undesired. They stage
Part of a day in Las Vegas, a day
Santa Ee and three days in Albuuuel