Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-12-05
larger population, applies with equal
force to Arizona and New Mexico"


The Ell Paso Herald contains the fol-
cogent reasons for the admis-
sionNof the territories:
at has of course been expected that
the senate committee on territories
would report against the admission OF
New Mexico and Arizona as states. 1t
has not been so certain that 1t would
recommend the admission of Okla
homa and Indian Territory as a single
state. The dispatch today settles all
doubts as to the nature of the major
ity report of the committee, but 1t
doesn't settle the statehood matter by
a long shot.
mo one familiar with conditions in
the various territories will refuse to
concede the superior fitness of Okla
homa for statehood. Her population
is half a million, exceeding that OF
Oregon, New Hampshire, Rhode ISL
and, the Dakotas, and numerous other
states. Her wealth is enormous. Her
permanent buildings, her schools,
banks, institutions of all kinds, public
and private, bespeak a marvelously
prosperous and progressive commun-
ity. If Indian Territory is included the
new state will outrank Connecticut
and West Virginia.
New Mexico cannot show SO large
a population or so much achieved in
the way of permanent improvements.
Her wealth in mines and live stock is
great. But it is impossible to deny
49, Nr1.. NEov;,4 ho, xuifhfp tho laCt
few years demonstrated that she pos
sesses the spirit of progress and is de-
termined to utilize her advantages to
the utmost. From long neglect of
her schools, she has come to a full
realization of their importance, and
the amount spent for them is increas-
ing at an enormous rate every year..
New Mexico is not simply moving;
she Is jumping ahead with great
bounds.
1.-THE question as to her ability to
govern herself is o~vershadowed by the
fact of her moral right to govern her
self. There can be no valid reason
why statehood should any longer be
kept from a domestic community of a
quarter of a million American citizens
If they want it. 1t is opposed to
every sentiment OF self-government
that lies at the foundation of our re-
public. No politics, no prejudice, no
absurd concern for the best inter
ests'' of these people, can justify the
senate for moment in refusing to
grant the privilege New Mexico has
been seeking during half a century,
unless we are ready to admit that our
whole system of government is at
fault.
Even admitting all the indictments
the opponents of statehood bring
against New Mexico and Arizona, still
it is best for the nation no less than
for the territories themselves that
they be admitted to statehood. 1t Is
true that the senators from the new
western states have rarely displayed
any particular ability or fitness for the
place; it is true that they have Otter
stood in the way of progress, and have
advocated measures that would Ger
tainly be disastrous to the general wei
fare of the nation; 1t is true that they
have neglected their opportunity t.
I really help the west, and have INDUCED
[ in cheap politics and false propaganda
that have weakened their personal ant
state influence in congress. But east
: ern and northern and southern states
. have also at times ent small men t
3 the senate-men who have misuseC
! their power to injure the country, ant
| have been either too ignorant or too
fearful to take the right side of grea
national questions. AS a matter o
fact, these things regulate themselves
in time, and as states come to a highe
. plane of development they come t.
value their senatorships more highly
u and do not throw hen away on dema
u gogues or rascals. The senate hai
. need of good men from whatever sec
c ton they come; it can generally find
way to control the bad ones.
J. I'VE cannot expect to achieve all a
I once. Progress is slow, and there ar
many obstacles. But certainly the fed
eral government by it's control of tn,
affairs of the territories is doing moth
) that could not be better done-an'
that would not be better done-by tn
state authorities were statehood to b
conferred upon them. Pride alon
would compel it; business ~necessit
would add incentive. The state of NeN
Mexico could not afford to go bach
ward"
-N A.In- NNp IA @Ar IA,