Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-03-27

No n knows what Is the popula.
ton OF New Mexico today, This oil,
Is based upon the census OF 1900,
which Is know 20 be- erroneous, and
Is certainly worthless In a growing
community like ours.
They say We are unht Tor siagle
statehood because OF spanish
speaking population and that Joined
with Arizona the AngloSaNon vote
win predomina,e IN the new state
As | listen to the recent of Sena.
tor Nelson | wonder Il. were tails
rule working In Minnesota. he would
be controlling the destiny OF the Span
i~sh.speaking American citizens OF
there are many times as many non
English speaking citizens In MinnesA-
Ia as there are in New MeNlco-good
citizens too, But mark YOU they
can trust the Anelo.Saxon to control
the new state, but they viii not trust
him 10 make II. by means OF this
Spanish speaking vote, not NJ for
statehood (which Is falsel. they Will
force him To accept joint statehood;
they will then appease him and be
tray New Mexico by saddlina ArIzo
mas debt equally over the state aad
by giving within the old lines o. All
% equal representation In congress
with that OF a population twice as
great, i~nhabiting the rest OF the state
Senator Nelson says there Is nc
ground for complaint about Arizona {
debt, for each territory owes about
the same amount, 500, 900. 900. Yes
but New Mexico's population actually
by the votes cast in 1904 Is to Arizo'
mas as . to |; according to this bill
only as &c Is to a. which Is the ra'
ito OF representation to the constitu'
tionai convention given by the o.i
based, | presume, on the census OF
1900. The Spanish population OF New
Mexico consists largely OF sheep herd
ers and small farmers, upon whom IN
creased debt would bear heavily, as
against a large mining population un'
der high wages in Arizona.
1t Is the debt per capita which real
ly counts: it Is the vote per capita
which Is expected to bring In Arizona
against her will. and II Is the enor'
nous land grants. amounting to 90
900 900 acres. which are expected to
buy the New Mexican politicians who
control the New Mexican vote. After
ward the Anglo-Saxon is expected 70
look out for himself.
Do you wonder that | say the English
speaking people OF these two terrific
ries ought to have the right to vote
separately as to whether they want
statehood at all, or not, upon sncn
terms and under such conditions
The territories are not homogene'
Gus: they are mutually inaccessible
and It Is a most serious question II
the selection of 5000. 900 acres OF the
best land OF the new state, with autho
rity to lease it for ten years, Will not
do more to retard future development
and settlement than all the benen's
(sic) OF statehood can counteract.
II is surprising that this unjust and
unrighteous union OF statehood Iof
Oklahoma. with the complicated
ouestion which faces the thinking PEG
ple of Arizona and New Mexico, mas
done much to exasperate the people
or the whole west against those was
are insisting. brutally and tlogicaliy
on forcing the issue In this way
As | said. | am no politician: &c
not know how the territories woui0
vote should the Foraker amendment
mass. bnt | do know that the people
OF Arizona and New Mexico are the
| cnly competent judges OF whether
tho state is a practical business pro
uosition or not, and they ought u
| have the right to decide this sepa
rately. I do know that 1t Is absurd u
raw that special interests alone rep
resent and control the opposition
| erd then refuse to let the people vot'
I,non It as they wish. u me peopi'
cannot be trusted to vote upon Tn
question If statehood the sreciai Ia
.e,ests wi. surely coutro, the nev
state. I hope there will be san
statesmeash'p shown In the votin'
this week, and that both. Okian''o'
and New Mexico will obtain justice
To continue a territory would no
hurt the latter nor damage the nation
To force union and afterward perpe
tuate the old disunion by retainin'
the Old territorial lines, both for req
resentation 10 congress and for cour
purposes, looks far from enccuras'n'
for the peace and dignity OF sne ne'
state. or for the reputation OF the "a
ticn.