Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1909-02-27
death BLOW TO
ENABLING ACT
Charge Corruption,
Jury Bribing and
Other Offenses
COMMITTEE ABANDONs BILL
Sensational Climax to Fight
for Statehood Before Sen.
ats Committee.

be no statehood legislation for New
Mexico and Arizona at the present
session of Congress. At a meeting OF
the committee on territories today all
members, regardless of party, in a
sensational scene abandoned the con.
sideration of the House bill Mem
bers of the committee left the room
without any one suggesting further
meetings. This remarkable action oc-
cured at the conclusion of the read
ing of statements presented by Sena.
tors Nelson and Beveridge charging
corruption, jury bribing and various
other offenses against certain officials
and leaders Of what is termed the
Gang which controls political affairs
in New Mexico"
Among the statements read was a
telegram from former Governor H. j.
Hagerman of New Mexico ref1ecting
upon the character of the people who
had in control the political affairs of
the territory and declaring these men
expect to continue their control after
the territory becomes state. He re-
ferred to them as "freebooters,' and
says sixty per cent of the voters are
Mexicans and one-half of that nun.
Der illiterate and ignorant and easily
could be governed by the "gang," to
which he referred. He suggested that
1t would be well to wait until after
the next census before admitting New
Mexico to statehood. Another state
ment was read recounting the difficult
ties experienced by Ormsby McHarg
who went to New Mexico in 1907 as
an agent Of the department of justice
to prosecute the land frauds. The
statements declares McHarg was
hampered in his work by Governor
Curry and ktt1ney Gesersa Fa1l. -
number of indictments against terri
torial officials wer read as was also a
letter from w. F. Wilcox, a former
newspaper man of Santa Fe, who as
serts that his life was threatened and
believes that the threat would have
been carried out had he not LETT the
territory. 1t is extremely likely that
tho committee will conduct an investl-
cation before acting on the admission
bill.
Governor Curry Courts Investigation.
Governor Curry when informed or
the contents of the above Associated
Press report, expressed himself as
disappointed, although not surprised
at the action of the Committee on Ter
ritories of the Senate. He said that
the statements of Senators Beverage
and Nelson were prompted by charges
made bv citizens of New Mexico and
enclosed in communications to those
two Senators, in which charges OF po-
litical corruption were freely made.
Governor Curry said that he and the
people of New Mexico court the fullest
investigation of these charges and
that the more searching and thorough
this investigation, the more complete
would be the vindication of the COM
monwealth. Of course, Governor Cur
ry is indignant at the palpable injus-
tice done the Territory and it's peo-
pie, but is fully confident that within
another year New Mexico will be adj
mitted to statehood.
Small Holdings Bill Signed.
Special to The New Mexican.
Washington, D. c., Feb. 2.7-Presi-
dent Roosevelt today signed the bill
extending the time for filing on small
holdings in New Mexico until 1910.
The bill creating the Seventh judicial
district of New Mexico was sent to
the president today and will receive
his signature. The bill provides that
the supreme court of the territory
shall determine the boundaries of the
districts and assign them to the diff
ferent judges.
Senator Newlands of Nevada was
not present at today's meeting Of the
Senate committee on Territories. The
consideration of the New Mexico por-
tion Of the enabling act was not COM
pleted on account Of the attention
given sensational charges made by
Senator Beveridge, and the Arizona
portion has not been touched at all
yet.