Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-10-15

part OF lne people OF the territory
should be had. Letters have gone for.
ward to Senator Beveridge, chairman
of the Senate committee on terrific
ries, and other Senators seeking to en-
list them in tavor of statehood; while
Delegate to Congress w. II. Andrews
has written from the East that he has
placed himself in touch win Speaker
Cannon and other Congressman who
will meet in the near future to discuss
informally the statehood movement.
Stirring Address BY Hon. T. B.
Catron.
Governor Curry, who had been the
first nominee for the presidency OF the
convention, declined the honor. Ex-So.
licitor General John P. Victory, who
had been nominated for secretary also
begged to be excused from serving.
The meeting organized by electing
Major r. j. Palen chairman; A. B.
Renehan. vice chairman, and Melton
Castillo, secretary. The first speaker
was eS-Delegate to Congress Thomas
B. CatrOn, who said that he has been
working for statehood for the past
forty-one years, although he lad not
supported the joint statehood move
ment. He believed that the people of
New Mexico voted for joint statehood
not because they wanted 1t but to
please the President. He maintained
that New Mexico has a population of
more than 100000 at the present date
and that the last census was imper.
feet and gave New Mexico at least So.
600 people less than the Territory had.
He pointed to the influx of immigrants
the many land filings and other evi.
dences of growth and progress and
urged the people to get together, re-
gardless of political or other affilia-
tions. He said that every one can
reach and influence some Congress-
man, or has friend who can WELD
such influence. He suggested a con-
vention of representative men to meet
at Santa Fe before Congress convenes
and urged the appointment by the
chair of committee of sixteen to for
mulate ways and means to push the
statehood movement.
q. A. Fiske then offered resolution
embodying this recommendation and
which was unanimously adopted after
some discussion and expression of
various opinions. The resolutions
read as follows:
The Resolution,
Resolved, That 1t is the sentiment
of this meeting that earnest and active
steps be taken at once and vigorous
ly prosecuted to induce the Congress
OF the United States to pass a suitable
enabling act looking to the admis-
sion of this Territory as a state and
to that end the president of this
meeting is hereby authorized to ap-
point committee Of sixteen repre-
sentative citizens of this county,
Democrats and Republicans, to pre-
pare an address to the legal voters of
the county of Santa Fe suggesting
in their Judgment the most effective
course to pursue to accomplish the
end desired"
Major r. j. Palen in taking the
chair declared himself an advocate of
statehood. He said that only two tan
gible objections against statehood
have been or can be urged: That is,
a state government will cost more
than the territorial form, and that
New Mexico is unable to govern itself.
As to the first objection, it is true
that state government will cost
more but all good things cost and the
argument is not worthy Of considera-
tion. AS to the second, it is an argu-
ment that can not be admitted, for
New Mexico is as we'll able to govern
itself as any other commonwealth.
Mr. Catron again took the floor and
said that he had just read an inter
view in the morning papers attributed
to Mark Smith Of Arizona In which
Smith said that he would oppose any
attempt to have New Mexico admitted
as a state unless Arizona was admit.