Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-01-18
VIGOROUS PROTEST
AGAINST CRIME
OF JOINTURE
legislature of New Mexico I'm Strong
Memorial Urges United States
Senate to Give This Territory the
Separate Statehood It's Fifty Years
of Proqress Demand.

The most important legislative de
veIopment and work today was ths
passage by both Houses this forenoon
by vote of 81 to S, of strong pro
test against the proposed jointure ot
New Mexico and Arizona and includ
ing petition for separate statehood
for New Mexico within it's present
boundaries and with its present name
Councils Third Day.
Mr.. Greer was the only member alb
sent when the roll was called. Chap
lain Shively led in nprayer. The min.
utes were read and adopted.
Mr.. Martin intro luce1 Council
Joint Memorial No, /, protesting
against the passage of. the Hamilton
Joint Statehood Bill, ana petitioning
for statehood for New Mexico within
its present boundaries and under it's
present name. Several minor amend
ments we.e inafe. after which, the
memorial was read as follows:
To the Senate of the United States
Congress:
Your memorialists, the Legislative
Assembly of the Territory of New
Mexico, most respectfully protest
against the passage OF that. clause of
the statehood bill now before your
honorable body, providing that New
Mexico and Arizona shall become one
state under the name of Arizona. Not
only have the two great political par
ties of the nation in their national
platforms repeatedly promised New
Mexico and Arizona admission into
the Union as separate states, but the
people OF the territories relying on
these promises, and knowing their
cause to be just, have likewise in
their political platforms expressed
themselves as unalterably opposed to
becoming united with Arizona, as pro-
vided in the bill now pending before
your honorable body.
It certainly cannot be insisted that
New Mexico after having been terri
tory for more than fifty years, during
which time her people have been
law abiding people, and most faithful
and loyal to the general government,
is not fitted to take upon herself the
responsibilities Of state government.
If extent of area, wealth, population,
and educational progress
are elements to be considered in the
admission of a new state, then. we
submit, that New Mexico is entitled to
admission at once. New Mexico is now
fourth in area among all of the states
and territories and her population,
100000 at the last census was larger
than that of thirty-one of the present
forty-five states at the time of their
admission. The population of New
Mexico is about one ninth of the aver
age of all the states, while Ohio had
but one-eighth and Indiana but one
twentieth of the general average when
admitted. Our taxable property has
a value of more than two hundred mil
lion dollars. Our system of public
schools, our numerous modern school
buildings throughout the Territory,
are models we'll worthy of emulation
Of some of the states of the Union.
Strikes, lockouts and mob violence are
unknown in our Territory, and the
of justice is certain
and therefore the courts have the con-
fidence of the entire people. ....
Here are some special reasons why
our claims should be considered fav.
orably by your honorable body New
Mexico, though but recently annexed
to the United States, during the Civil
War showed her devotion and loyalty
to the general government by thet
great number of soldiers she furnishedI
for the Union Army. In the recently
war with Spain, New Mexico furnished
more than one-half of the soldiers
that constituted the famous Rough
Rider regiment commanded by Theo.
dore Roosevelt.
In the opinion of your memorialists,
Arizona is not without her claims to|
separate statehood. In 1853 when that
territory was taken from New Mexico
Congress in the act establishing the
territory, promised 1t statehood with
In It's present boundaries.
A territorial form of government is
not compatible with the interests OF
our people. Such government is in
tolerable and obnoxious to the Ameri-.
can citizen. A territorial government
is only intended to endure up to the
point where the people are ready to
enter the Union as state.
Such government as ours in this
Territory is q denial Of many Of the
rights OF the people living
within the territory. II Is an injus-
tice to them longer to keep them in
territorial bondage. With the entrance