Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-11-29
All HANDS FOR STATEHOOD.

special attention-almost his whole at
tention-to the paramount duty OF
working for statehood. and all the real
friends Of New Mexico, without regard
Ia party. are standing loyalty by him.
There are many things of impor-
lance 10 the territory, n to which
the governor might give his attention
with more or less profit To the public.
hut his particular one Is Of such par
amount importance 10 New Mexico. In
Guiding all It's people and all It's inter-
ests. tina the best and most promising
way In which the governor can serve
the territory at this time Is to put
everything else aside. temporarily. and
devote himself exclusively. and with
an his w~ell-known energy. 10 working
for our admission TO statehood by the
present congress, and II possible. TO
have the terms Of admission so ar
ranged that New Mexic0's star may be
added TO the flag on the next Fourth
Of July.
And the same course could with
Equal propriety and profit, be pursued
by an OF our people. We have local
factions n political factions to which
more or less attention viii inevitably
be given. but in view Of the sur
passing importance to all of us Of the
great work of having the territory
transformed into a state, We can well
afford 10 make all of these subsidiary
issues fan back for the time being to
make room for the one paramount
issue.
We realize the fact that the worn
Ia hand Is a big job, nut at the same
time we remember that the governor
D. a man OF indomitAble euergy-he
NJ "a born hustler, aud hustle Is the
quality that counts Ia this Hge Of the
world~-and hence there Is AT least a
fair probability that II he receives
sueh support ~ he ought to receive
from the people of the territory. all
Of whom are just as much Interested
In the success Of the effort AZ he Is
himself. that the congress which meets
next Monday will not adjourn before
Il passes an enabling act for New
Mexico. '
n this hope has a good founda-
iion la the many new facts concerning
The territory. which can now be
brought before congress. Up to a
very few years ago. nearly all OF our
population was In and adjacent to the
Rio Grande valley, and consisted in
the main Of people. who. though as
loyal 70 the American flag and as de-
voted 10 the principles Of the Amer :
lean government az any people any
where. were strangers TO our Ian
guage. and therefore not at one with
the people OF the country at large. !
This constituted a stumbling block in
our way. and one over which the ter :
ritory has fallen down more thar =
once. Hut this condition no longer J
exists. IL has gone into history, and d
YOU viii not find In New Mexico to- :
day a greater proportion OF the peo. u
pie ignorant OF the language OF the y
country than you viii find In many OF e
he states OF the union. This change Z
been brought about by two great p
nuses; first, the establishment OF an ]
american public school system TWEEN
years ago, followed by the es-
Enlistment OF free schools in every
district ana n~eighborhood OF the ter IL
tory, an teaching the English lam 70
and, second. the clearing up q
nd sweeping away of thousands OF al b.
eyed land grants by the United states al
'ourt OF private land claims. estab- 81,
Tor that purpose by congress b
fifteen years ago. thus restoring al
% the public domain and opening to q
ettlement many millions Of acres. EN- -
racing nearly all the good agriculture s'
] lands In the territory. which had "
heretofore been tied up" By these In
grants. and the inaugura- si
By the general government inn d
1ediately after. Of a general system OF "
'rigation works. which rendered ~
nese lands 40 once desirable and val er
nable, % which turned the vest hr
tide ~ immigration into this ha
.rritory er
Through these instrumentaliues So
lch a radical revolution has been WI
rought 10 The general character Of
Mexico that the man who knew as
even fifteen years ago. as a little no
eKicsn settlement. at the Jumping lie
Z place Of civilization. would not be- ev'
'le 20 recognize Do In the -popuious Do.
ID prosperous territory OF today. -
for example. that section Of the u
east Of The principal range =
mountains. where 30 many immi- -,
anfa fr,m .fhe af4f.a- ar. w.tf,~ uEl
FIR homes that the United states ETv,
offices are unable to keep up ~
their work. and where new towns tns
a e postonices are springlng up 80
SER than the mail clerks can famn- ne,