Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-02-24
A. |. MORRISON
ON STATEHOOD
Takes Strsng Exception In The
Inter.Ocean 10 SANDERS
About New Mexico.
DISCUSSION OF
MORMON QUESTION
An Unanswerable Argument
Against Retention Of Ter
ritorial Condition on
the Continent.

Under the caption "A Plea for New
Mexico" the following article written
by Judge A. l.. Morrison Of Santa Fe
appeared In a recent edition OF the
Chicago Inter oceap:
TO the Editor Permit me to call
your attention 10 the cartoon In the
Inter Ocean OF the It'll instant, called
mot tho Way TO Get In" While I am
willing TO make all due allowance for
tho imagination Of your able cartoon
ist, | unhcsitatingly assert that the
cartoon referred to Is unjust, unfair.
and untrue.
Any unparalleled observer will &C.
knowledge that the laws are AZ loyalty
obcyed. that life and property are as
safe. and that good order is ms uniyer.
sal In New Mexico as in any state In
the union. II the frequent illusions
Of the Inter Ocean are true land |
have no doubt they are) as to burg.
larry. holdups. porch climbers. rcigns
Of crime, and shameless dance halls In
Chicago. then I, with no fear OF con.
Sradiction from any one. assert that
your city presents a striking contrast
to the %peaceable towns and cities Of
this territory. | do not remember
mi case Of burglary In Santa Fe in
ten years. "holdups" and highway rob
berry are almost unknown. and the dis
gushing dance halls OF Chicago and
other eastern cities would not DO tol
Grated an instant among us.
Many years ago laws were passed
prohibiting womcn from going Into
saloons, although even then such law,
wer. unnecessary. When your col
umns are 80 largely filled with expos
uros Of ~''boodling'' In tho Legislature,
OF Missouri, Illinois, Delaware an,
Kansas, IL seems hardly necessary I,
look for notes In our eyes when sucl
large beams exist in optics so neaI
home.
A. a specimen Of tho unfairnes,
with which New Mexico Is treated II
tho senate. ! present the views Of Sen
ator Burrows. who gave 1t MS one o
hts reasons for opposing single state
hood for New Mexico that he foare,
that although the bin under consider
alton prohibited Mormonism Ii Ia
territory. that on becoming a stat
New Mexico might remove the restric
tion and nallify 1t, and added. II
brings us face 10 face with a condition
that should alarm the country" Tn
senator. for whom | have great adm
ration, must have been woefully Ill
advised, have lived In New Mexic,
for almost twenty years and shoul,
know something about Its public al
fairs, and ! desire 10 inform the sen
ator that his fenfs are entirely IN
necessary.
Tho number Of Mofmons III so smaI
here that | have never heard OF then
being taken into consideration "a IN,
smallest factor In politics, and Their,
Ia as much probability OF this peopl
favoring Mormonism as there In OF tn,
people OF Michigan establishing IN
worship OF Jupiter. Ammou or Venus
Senator Burrows ought 10 kno,
that the overwhelming majority OF III
people of New Mexico are Catholic
among whom. las among their cor,
ligionists eyerywherel polygamy Ii III
known and divorce Is unheard OF.
On Sundays every saloon Ii close
here; the streets are almost deserte,
except by people going To and return
Ing from church. and no town In III
entire Union presents "A more Sab
haihlike aspect Another senator SAY
the sisterhoai Of states would rasu'
In adding two more democratic sena
tors 70 the United States senate
The ~absuriliy 81 this assertion /
made manifest Nben | tell you tha
our legislative Assembly tnow ia ses
slonl. Is composed OF five democrat.
and thirtyone republicans. Can aa,
state IN The republic make "a bette
political showing2 This IS not acct
dental as We have not had . demo
cratic majority in that body, nor
democratic delegate in six years. o
course, We have u faults, lik,
other people. but We afo not worse
and IN many cases are Gar better thar
those who assume the "holier thar
thou position. aud consider US unfi
for statehood. | might add to III,
above that during the Spanish war ",
filled our quota 10 oyesflowing II