The National tribune., 1909-02-11

SKETCH MAP OF ARIZ
Senator Beveredge, the Chairman of
the Senate Committee on Territories, is
strongly opposed to their admission as
separate States, and has not ceased to
express his opposition. Senators War
ren, Guggenheim. Burkett and Brown
are in the lead in pressing for imme-
diate and favorable action.
New Mexico.
New Mexico is territorially larger
than any State in the Union except
Texas, California and Montana, having
an area of 122,5S0 square miles, with
length along its western boundary
of 400 miles and width OF 35S miles
The whole Territory lifts pretty high
in the air, with only small portion
of it nearer sea level than 1000; that
is, it is half as high again as the Allie
gheny Mountains. The eastern third of
the Territory belongs to the Great
Plains, lying along the eastern base OF
the Rocky Mountains. From the Cana
dian River southwark the land slopes
gradually to the level and arid plateau
known as the Llano Estacado. This is
an expanse of desert, dreary and dry
beyond description. West of this Is the
valley of the Pecos River, and from 1t
to the westward the land rises to the
Front Range of the Rocky Mountains,
some of the peaks of which rise IT, the
excessive altitude of 1900 feet. West
of the Front Range is the narrow valley
of the Rio Grande. running thru the
whole Territory, and finally coming to
the great broad plateau. the Continen-
tai Divide, the average hight of which is
1000 feet, tho it sinks to 5000 feet in
the south. 1t has number of mesas
and isolated ranges from 5000 to 1900
feet high. OF the vast expanse of the
Territory only 23,7G0 square miles are
wooded. This is about one-fifth of the
whole.
The United States has made forest
reservation of 1929 square miles about
the head of the Gila River. There is
COMPARATIVELY little merchant timber,
mostly yellow pine and spruce. Irri-
CATION is practiced thruout the Terri
tory, but has only limited possibilities.
Land capable of irrigation is compare
lively small in amount, and scattered
in small plots thruout the Territory.
Most of the water for irrigation comes
from the Rio Grande, and so great is
the drain upon it that it becomes dry
in the lower part of the river during
the irrigation season. In 1899 there
were 1882 miles of irrigation bitches,
which cost over S4,000,000. These wa
tered 646,7S4 acres, an insignificant
amount compared with the stretch OF
the Territory.
Where irrigation is possible the fin
est crops result, and New Mexican
grapes, sugar beets and fruits are OF
fine quality.
Stock raising is the most extensive
and profitable industry, however, and
the New Mexicans claim that their
country is unrivaled for sheep raising.
This has always been carried on ex-
tensiyely since the first advent of the
Spaniards, and in 1900 there were B.
333,743 sheep, something over 1000, 600
cattle, 10000 horses and only 10000
swine.
The principal manufactures are rail-
road repair shops and wool securing
establishments.
According to the census of 1900, the
population was 195,310. OF this the
foreigners were 13,625. of whom one
half were Mexicans. The Indians num-
hered 1874 and the negros 1,610. AL
buauerque is the largest town, with a
population Of 6,23S, and Santa Fe, the
Capital, comes next with a population
of 5,603 The bulk of the population
belongs to the Roman Catholic Church,
and the per cent of illiteracy is greater
than any other part of the country.
Energetic efforts are being male in
the way of education, and the per cert
of illiteracy decreased from Ali In
1890 to 1922 in 1900. In 1890 G1 per
cent Oh the Hol SP
English. but this proportion has been
greatly reduced. The appropriation. for
schools has been quadrupled i'll 10
years, with great increase in rumbe,
of schools and teachers.
New Mexico has been before b.
gress for Is years applying for Sta
hood, and in 1894 Congress passed the
first enabling act. In 1903 the House
passed an act OF admission, but 1T did
pa in tho Sanafa
At the last election for Delegate to
Congress Mr.. Andrews, Republican, re-
ceived 2.,605 votee, to 27,217 for Mr..
Larrason, the Democratic candidate
and 1858 for Metcalfe, the Socialist
candidate. The parties would there.
In 1906 a vote was taken on joint
Statehood. with yeas 26,195, nays 1875.
Arizona.
The Territory of Arizona is about $50
miles square and contains l13,020
under water. 1t ranks sixth among
the political divisions of the United
States in area and 49th in population.
The whole Territory is exceedingly
mountainous, with short isolated ranges
which are abrupt, sterile and gashed
by deep canyons and dry water courses.
In the south these mountains are about
3 900 feet high, or a little over the
average hight of the Alleghenies, but
beyond the central line they rise still
higher, with peaks approaching 10000
feet. The highest mountain is Thomas
Peak, 11,496, and Ord Peak is 1926
feet high, with Bill Williams Mountain,
1924; Mount Logan, 200, and Mount
Upton, 1854. The highest mountains
are in the isloated San Francisco range.
in the northern central part the apex
of which reaches 1874 feet. From
these the Territory slopes away rapidly