The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-04-29

I ty of the territory. 1t was a big step,
but Mr. Hagerman took L. IL
the beginning of the trouble that re-
suited in his resignation. That man,
the first one assailed, said that before
the close of the last legislature he
would humiliate Hagerman until ne
would be sorry he ever filled the gov
ernor's chair, and would have to re-
sign. But instead of humiliating nim
during the legislature, the plans of
the boss failed. Hagerman's every
measure passed Strength came to
the governor from many unexpected
places. The people at large, with
their sentiment, backed him up, and
the sentiment of the whole territory
except among the members and par
tisans of the old established gang. was
converted into his way of thinking,
and the People of the Territory flock
ed to his standard.
lone of Governor Hagerman's first
moves was to re-adjust representation
in the territory and he did this on
such a just basis that only one man
ever assailed or tried to have the ap-
portiolment an1ulled, although the
change in districts was radical.
New Mexico had long been the sub
ject of criticism, but the deals were
not so bad as painted. Governor Ote-
ro and others associated with him
thought they were doing what was
right in this matter. They really did
nothing that was so very bad.
"The main fact leading to the Gov
ernor's resignation was over the appli
cation for lald iby H. B. Holt, and Mr..
Bonham. They made application for
large tract, having the names of va
rious people for each 160 acres asked
for. The law states plainly that pub
lie lands cannot be taken up by one
man for large number of others and
this is the way the land board since
1901 construed the laws meaning.
When the Holt & Bonham request
came in Hagerman wrote the Depart
ment for instructions or advice. the
request for information was referred
from one person to another in the In
terror Department for some time and
finally, after much delay, the Depart
ment wrote that it was of the opinion
that such a request for land as that
of Messrs. Holt & Bonham and their
associates, even though they had a
name for each 16O acres. was not ia
the spirit of the law and recommended
that the grant be not made. And the
grant was NOT made.
"The Pennsylvania Development
Company, composed of w. H. Andrews
a1d his associates, had, some years
before, made request for grant of
1000 acres in the same way in which
Bonham & Holt later asked for
large body of land The land board
advised Mr.. Andrews to get name
for each 160 acres. He got the names
the same as had been done in half
a dozen cases before that time. and
paid part in cash, which was dis
tributed among the various institu-
tions of the territory, and gave note
for the remaining sum due on the
grant, and began cutting the timber
on the grant, part of which was cover
ed with forest. That was before Ha-
german ever dreamed of being COVER
nor of New Mexico When he came
into office, he asked the Department
what he should do. He asked them If
Andrews and his associates should
tender the remainder due in pay
ment, should he deliver the deeds to
the laad. which had been held by the
territory as security for the payment
of the note Nobody in the Depart
ment of the Interior gave MIN an op-
inion on the matter. The case was
finally referred to Congress and the
Congress committee on Public Lands,
who referred it, back to Hagerman,
saying 1t was a matter, he as execu-
tive should decide. Mr. Hagerman
referred the matter to me. as attorney
general. looked into the case and
studied 1t from start to finish. and con
sidered IL closed transaction-the
sale OF the la1ds-aad that as the par
ties had the lands. had given part
payment for them and this part pay
ment mad been accepted, advised
Hagerman to deliver the deeds The
final payment was rendered and the
deedc wara delivered Although Gov