The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-26
DO NOT NAME TT LINCOLN,
says The Hartford Tlmes:

It Is suggested that when New Mexico is admitted as State 1t come in under the name of Lincoln A like proposition as to Colorado was once described as general principles. But since that time Washington has be- come a State. Lincoln may be bet ter name than New Mexico, which of Indian names that are pleasant to the ear and to the eye, and may be had for the asking. one of them problem.
 The Times IS correct on general principles and on this special occa- sion. We have State named for the first President and that should be the end of naming States for our Presi- dents. We cannot expect ever to have States enough added to the Un- ion to give each one the name of a President and to single out any one name would be to make what would be looked on as a reflection on all the others. To affix the name of Lin coin to new State would lack much of being generally satisfactory.
 
 But aside from such considerations We agree with The Times that there are plenty of Indian names to supply all the demands for the future. New Mexico is not suitable for name for a State of the American Union. but 1t would not be difficult for any one at all versed in the geography and history of our country to find an In- dian word that would in every way be fltting and appropriate for a new State
 We have often insisted that not enough attention had been paid to Indian names in naming States and counties, especially in the South and Southwest Up in the East and North east the Indian dialect were in the main SC harsh and unmusical that it is difflcult for the ordinary American of today to pronounce them, yet all over New England will be found counties and towns, and some of the States bearing the long and uncouth names taken from the Algonquin and kindred dialects. The early settlers up there favored native names wherever they could be used.
 No such objection as we have al- Iuded to can be made to the Indian languages of the South and South west. Almost without exception they are simple in formation and soft and melodfous in sound, and from these languages can be taken names for any and all localities. Tc large extent the rivers and other streams retain the names given them by the Indians who had the naming of them in the first place. and any one who will go over the names will bear witness to their beauty and appropriateness. The natives had the first privilege of be- slowing names and there was always good reason for their choice. When the civilized people came on the scene they too often discarded the good h. dian names to be found all about them and substituted others, out of the sixty seven counties of Alabama not more than a dozen have Indian names and we insist that this Is not a fair or just. proportion. Half of them. at least, should have been thus named It is largely so in most other South ern States, We regret to say.
 And so it is that if New Mexico is to be admitted as a sovereign State we hope it will not retain its present name, nor do we want 1t to bear the name of Lincoln. Let some appropri- ate and suggestive Indian word be given it and let it bear that title through all time.