Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-06-04
A Crowded Recep-
ton in the Sea-
berg Coliseum.
SPEECH WELL RECEIVED
Hagerman Urges Joint State.
hood-..Visit to Extensive
Coal Fields.
Ration, N. NJ. June A.,

Ration, NJ NJ, June 4,
Special Correspondence
Governor Hagerman has met the
people OF Raton and apparently has
led them captive. The reception at the
Coliseum Friday evening was gen.
erous outpouring Of the popnlace to
do honor to him.
A committee of the Ration CONNER
cial Club consisting, of Hon. jeremiah
Leahy, j. Van Houten, NJ NJ Dawson
and o. A. Foster, awaited the arrival
of the train at Raton's new and hand
some depot. The greeting was cordial
and the Governor and his party were
escorted to their places of entertain
ment, Governor Hagerman being the
guest of Mr.. and Mrs. Van Houten;
Adjutant General A. p. Harrington of
Mr.. and Mrs. J. Leahy, and Attorney
General W. c. Reid, Supreme Court
Clerk Jose d. Sena and Postmaster
Paul A. f. Walter being quartered at
| the Seaberg Hotel.
The events of the evening, public
reception and dance, were given at
the Seaberg Coliseum, the largest and
most pretentious auditorium in New
Mexico, an ideal convention hall with
large stage The hall was illumin.
ated with hundreds of electric lights
suspended in colored Chinese lanterns.
Bunting, streamers and flags in abun-
dance completed scheme of decora.
tiOns that was as striking as it was
/. beautiful. This vast hall, having a
seating capacity of 1000 people, was
, filled almost to the crOwding point.
An orchestra Of eight pieces and a
piano, trained by 0. A. Foster, played
program of classic and popular selec.
! tions that was revelation to the Wis
itors, for the rendition would have
done credit to a high class New York
or Boston organization. The playing
of "The Stars and Stripes Forever"
was the signal of the arrival Of Gov.
ernor Hagerman and party. who, with
the foremost citizens of the Gate City,
including Mayor McAuliffe, Messrs.
Van Houten, Leahy, Remsberg, Daw-
son, Foster, Seaberg, Bayne and others
seated themselves on the stage. The
entrance of Governor Hagerman was
greeted with applause.
Hon. Jeremiah Leahy, in a happy in
troductory address, which he knows so
we.. how to make, alluded to the fact
that Governor Hagerman is the young
est executive of any commonwealth
in the Union, and that the Presidents S
choice of man to supervise the other
officials of the Territory was evidently
wise one.
Governors Address.
| The Governor had to wait quite a
while before the applause that greeted
him died down. He had failed to pre-
pare set speech, being unaware that
he was expected to make an address
during his visit. He spoke ear
nestly, nevertheless, and captured his
hearers from the start by referring to
the progress and growth of Ration, the
development of the resources on every
side and the promise of brilliant
future advancement. Statehood" was
the subject of his address and plea
for a non-partisan constitutional con.
vention was the kernel of his remarks.
He described the long struggle in
Washington over the statehood ques'
tion, the intense interest that it has
aroused in the Territories, and the
glorious privilege it is to enter the
galaxy of states. How strange il
would seem, therefore. should New
Mexico reject this great boon about to
be offered by Congress. He did not
deem 1t possible that the people OF
New Mexico would spurn that gift for
which they have worked and prayed
for over fifty years. The Governor re-
ferred to the reported disdain Of Ari
zona for New Mexico and the assertion
that the people of New Mexico are
not fit to be Joined in statehood with
the people Of Arizona. He said that
il any such sentiment exists in Ari
zona that it is only at the surface;
that even now it is disappearing and
that upon the Arizona delegates meet
ing the New Mexico delegates at the
constitutional convention it would van
ish altogether, for the Arizonians
would then become better acquainted
with New Mexico.
Plea for Non.Partisan Constitutional
Convention.
The Governor concluded with an ap
peal for non-partfsan constitutional
convention. He said he knew that
there are party and factlonal lines and
factions within factions; that some oi
the causes for these differences are
good and some are evil, but whether
good or evil, the constitutional con
vention should be non-partisan an6
composed of the ablest and the most
incorruptible men in the Territory. He
said that 1t is exceedingly difficult tc
amend constitutions and that the con
stitution formulated for the new state
would probably be an enduring monu
ment to those who drafted it, and to the
wisdom of the people of the two Ter
ritories. How necessary, therefore, te
lay aside party and factional strife. fol
the making Of constitution Is neither
a party nor factional question. Ir
conclusion, he appealed to each votel
to do his duty when the statehood
question reached the electorate, he, ii