The Cimarron news and Cimarron citizen. (Cimarron, Colfax County, N.M.) 19??-19??, 1911-03-04
OPPOSITION TO STATEHOOD
WANT INVESTIGATION
Happenings Of Interest to the Country, and Af-
fairs at the Capitol in Which New Mexico
Figures.

! aSnluRtOn -. =. req. 2 ~ ne
The opposition to the adoption of
the New Mexico constitution has
been doing it's work, and while
there is no danger as to the final
outcome, yet the element of delay
has resulted, and it may be that in
consequence, that New Mexico will
have to wait until another congress
to become a state. Hearings have
been held before the Committe on
Territories OF the lower House dur
ing the past week, and number Of
persons styling themselves as tenn
perance leaders have appeared to
protest against the admission of
Territory. Ex-senator Henry w.
Blair, OF New Hampshire, is the
counsel for the objectors, and he
has introduced number of letters
affidavits and newspaper clippings
purporting to show that the cleo
tion was fraudulent. 1t is even at
tempted to show that ballots were
not provided in certain localities
that could be used to vote against
the adoption of the constitution, but
the statement was refuted efectual-
ly by the introduction of the returns
showing both an affirmative and a
negative vote in nearly all election
precincts. One mig ht have
thoought, after listening to the
claims made by Mr.. Blair and his
clients, that New Mexico was
dangerous place in which to live,
so fearful were the conditions which
the imaginative mind of the former
New England Senator depicted.
His plea for the helpless people Of
New Mexico who ratified their con-
stitution by handsome and over
whelming majority was punctuated
by this suggestion:
Nothing but a Congressional
investigation, lull and fair and
deep, searching to the bottom OF
things with the mighty arm of the
Nation, will save the otherwise
helpless people of New Mexico. "
The hold-up which statehood has
been subjected to is purely the
work of people not materially in
terested in the welfare of New Mex
lgco. Delegate Andrews has ex-
PRESSED the situation very clearly
by saying; There are two kinds
of temperance people in New Mex
leo, one kind being the prohibi-
ZIONIST who works because he has
been hired, and the other kind is
the temperance believer who lives
in the Territory, enjoys its bene-
fits, and is interested in its growth
and advancement. This latter
class are interested in securing
Legislation for their cause, but they
are not the kind who are working
to stop the progress of New Mex
leo by defeating the great results
that have followed since the enab-
ling act was secured. The laws
they seek will likely be passed by
onr new state legislature, which is
the proper body to act upon the
internal affairs of New Mexico.
The paid prohibitionist who is hold
ing up statehood cannot be con-
sidered in any way as a friend to
the Territory.
The House Committe, at its
hearing, asked for testimony per-
tanning to the legality of the cleo
ton, and an adjournment was taken
to permit time to secure this from
the Territory. AS this is being
sent out a great array of aifidavits
that will effectually convince Con-
gress is on the way from the Ter
ritory. The two Houses may get
things going in in a hzrry next
week, and put New Mexico on the
map among the sisterhood Of states
but the business OF both Houses is
badly congested, and if the matter
goes over it must wait until the
next Congress before approval can
be secured, and New Mexico will
have nothing to DO but to wait. II
there should follow such a Of sus-
pense, it is very clear where the
d. /. sl.A.. II - 4 -.a -. NJ