The Socorro chieftain., 1907-08-17

tary OF the interior, addressed
several hundred citizens of New
Mexico in the chamber of the
house of representatives last Fri
day afternoon and was given a
most cordial reception. The sec
retary spoke of the great future
before New Mexico, of the prob
lens before the people, and eX
pressed the belief that New Mex
leo would soon be able to walk
alone. He deliverd strong adj
dress. He said in part:
Ladies and Gentlemen: 1t is
indeed with Il great deal of pleas
ure that | have been able TO
come here and have the oppor-
tunity Of meeting the people of
New Mexico and discussing with
them those matters that are of
interest to them affecting as they
do their lives and their property.
AS your mayor has said, the
people of New Mexico are of no
different type of any other state
or territory and | am glad to say
as have said not only here but
in the East where men have
talked to me about the west at
all. do not pretend to under
stand it thoroughly. came
through your territory nearly
twenty years ago and have kept
in touch with many of the men
who are doing things here. |
desire to say that this admins
tion never has and it does
not now intend to have any
presumption of guilt against
any citizen of New Mexico.
Should questions arise which
will involve an Interpretation of
the law and an investigation OF
actions, the national anministra-
tion will interpret those laws in
the light of the facts as repre-
sented to it. There is no COM
munity in which wrong has not
occurred. That is true. Yet
the men who have done wrong
are always in the minority in anv
American commonwealth. | did
not;intend to say much on this sub
iect, but the mayor has suggest
ed it, so | want to tell you eX-
actly how this administration felt
and what it intends to do in re-
gard to this particular matter.
1t is true that charges have been
made but in every instance any
man who is charged with any
act will be given fair hearing
and no final action will be taken
against any citizen of New Mex
leo, until the fairest kind OF
treatment has been given 70
which he is entitled to expect
from this national administration.
OF course, if in any instance
things have gone wrong those
wrongs will be righted by you
people and not by anybody out
side. This is enough to say
about any disagreeable subject,
Mr.. Mayor. (Applause.)
1t is true that the department
of the interior has a great deaI
to do with the territory of New
Mexico and it seems that you are
all anxious to creep out from un'
der the control of the department
of the interior. Now whether
you are in the position that yor
do not have to creep, but car
stand up and stand alone, Is
something that the future car
determine. Judging from the
character of the people and the
industries / do not believe 1t will
be long before you can wall
alone.
Ihave been going about through
the great West for the last TIVE
months for the purpose of getting
in close touch with those queS
tions OF interest to the people o
the west. The west is not I
definite location. You peopl,
pride yourselves as we people il
Ohio do that we are a large pro
portion of the worlds surface. |
has only been fifty years Sine
the state of Ohio was west AM
at that time you people out her
in New Mexico had to be hunte,
for with a telescope. II was tn
spirit OF the west that opened IN
land beyond the Alleghenies.
was the spirit of the west tina
left Ohio and finally too
possession of those islands out i
the ocean, those islands in tll
far south. II is that spirit tina
we want TO foster and engende
not only in our own lives, but I
hand down to our children.
is not the spirit of license, IL
not the spirit OF land grabbing
} but il is the spirit of free Amer