Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-11-22
Beautiful Decorations, DiStin.
guished Company and Large
Attendance at Building
GOOD WORDS FOR
MRS. DOUGLAS
Addresses by Governor OterO.
President ID. IL. Francis and
Judge j. II. McFie

The Globe Democrat Of November
10th contains the following descr.p-
tion Of the exercises Of New Mexico
Day at the Worlds Fair:
The last Of the state days at the
Worlds Fair was celebrated yester-
day In the New Mexico building on the
plateau Of states with exercises in
front OF the building In the morning
and a reception from 2 to o'clock
in the afternoon.
Governor and Mrs. Miguel A. Otero.
with party OF friends from the Sun.
shine Land" were present and welcom.
ed many former New Mexicans and
visitors from the territory. The at
tendance ran beyond the thousand
mark and the building was crowded
all day.
American flags were draped over
the exterior Of the building. while the
interior was turned into bower of
green and red by palms and American
beauty roses. The brilliantly colored
Navajo blankets and Indian shawls
which are hung on the walls as ex-
hibits from the most Industrious race
of American Indians lent touch of
the picturesque past to the modern
reception.
At 10:30 o'clock in the morning
Governor Otero arrived at the parade
entrance with the members of the
New Mexico commission. The party
proceeded to the administration build
ing, where respects were paid to Pres
ident Francis. The latter, with the
Philippine scouts and constabulary
and several companies of United
States troops, joined the procession
of carriages, and the New Mexico
building was reached at II o'clock
Exercises Opened.
Hon Herbert j. Hagerman, one of
the members of the commission, was
master of ceremonies and opened the
exercises. He spoke of the lack of
funds experienced by the commission
and the number of awards carried off
by the state.
President Francis, the next speaker,
paid several fine compliments TO the
commission for the New Mexico exhb-
1t. Mrs. Sallie Douglas, the hostess,
he said, had made the building one of
the most pleasant on the grounds by
her work in that capacity. He allud-
ed to the desire for statehood. saying
he believed New Mexico should have
this.
In his response ~ President Francis
address of welcome, Gov Otero spoke
of his st. Louis birth and said that
IL had always been a matter of pride
with him to call himself St Louisan
He complimented the commission on
their exhibit al the fair and praised
the immensely OF the enterprise. The
question of statehood was raised by
him and many reasons given to sup
port the idea A good word for the
Mexican inhabitants of his state was
offered at the conclusion of his
speech.
Judge John r. McFie. OF the su
preme court of New Mexico. followed
with the Grafton of the day, his point
being the worthiness of the New Mex
leans for citizenship.
"The question of the standing OF
New Mexicans and Americans is one
which is lite understood" he said
"and many people think that they are
unfit for the privileges OF citizenship
The view is wrong. have always
found them Industrious and iaw-abid
ing. possessing as high a View OF jus
tice as the American citizens of The
territory. have had nine murdel
cases in my court during the pas
year." he continued. five OF which
have been tried by Mexican jurie'
and four by juries partly Mexican
OF these. eight resulted In convic
tons. defy any state in the union,
he concluded, 'to show a better rec
ord than this.
Exercises at Building.
The speaking took place from
platform erected In front of the build
ing. At the conclusion of Judge Nc
rie's address an informal reception