Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-24
new MEXICO.
Its UNIQUE STORY.
BY Frederic ]. Haskin.

II is the oldest community under the
Stars and Stripes.
x !:
The Spanish colony in New Mexico was
almost century old when the Pueblos
arose. re-
Spanish Came Back pudiated
and Stayed and Ruled. ~ massa-
cred he priess and drove he white man
from the country. After a decade the
Spaniard came back again. not with the
sword. but with the persuasive arts OF
peace, and took up dominion. For GEN.
tury and a half he stayed and ruled.
His colony grew slowly. but his religion
took firm hold. and he left upon the
people and the state an indelible Inn
press. There was more or less trouble
with the savage Indians, but the general
status Of the colony was unchanged. and
not until the end of Spanish rule In con-
tinental America was approaching did the
people of New Mexico SO much as know
that powerful nation WAS in the making
on the eastern coast Of their continent.
Napoleon Bonaparte sold Louisiana TO
Mr. Jefferson. and as a result Of that sale
New Mexico is the forty-seyenth star In
the flag of the United States. The Span
ish colonies Of the southwest had never
attempted to communicate even with the
Spanish colony at the mouth of the Mis-
stssippi except by way OF Vera Cruz and
the sea. When Louisiana again became
French and. almost Immediately. Ameri-
can the New Mexicans cared little, nor
did they suspect what II meant to them.
But the ink was hardly dry on the doc
uments that transferred louisiana TO the
United States before adventurous traders
from Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri sent
out trade expeditions over the plains TO
find the business of the Spanish south
IN
back, for one reason and another. but
the tales that common cotton domestic
sold In Santa Fe at two and three dollars
a yard did come back and new traders
set forth to find the commercial I'll Do
RADIO.
The trouble was that the Spanish gov
eminent maintained a monopoly OF the
shipping trade of Mexico. and that the
only trade route open to New Mexico Was
from Cadiz across the ocean to Vera
Cruz. from Vera Cruz over the noun
tains to Mexico City and from thence
over the plains and the deserts hundreds
and hundreds of miles north TO Santa Fe.
x
Lieut.. Zebulon Montgomery Pike in the
of explorers,
Regular Trade Begins and he was
Over Santa Fe Trail. American to
return from there His book. publish
ed in 1910. so stimulated the American in
terests in the Spanish trade that by ls1O
a regular trade route was estapiisheo-
the famous Santa Fe trail.
In 1872 the independence of Mexico from
the Spanish crown was accomplished, and
New Mexico became "A part of the SOUTH
ern republic. Its people had not partici-
pated in the revolution. but they were
none the less ready TO welcome the
change And thus came 10 AN end the
last Spanish dominion in what is now tie
United States, Florida having been sold
three years before.
The growing trade with the Mississippi
and Missouri valleys caused Santa re
and other New Mexican towns 10 pros
ncr. until in iS4; on account of compli-
cations arising from the Texan reNoiu-
ton. the trade was absolutely interdicted
By the Mexican authorities
Three years later, in 1916. Mexico anu
the Tni.ed States being at war, Gen
stephen W. keaIney, at the head OF the
Army of the West" marched into New
Mexico and seized the territory. lie
raised his flag at Santa Fe, and since
that day it has flown there. In 1s4S the
sovereign title was formally transferred
TO the United States by treaty. an addi-
tionaI piece of territory being secured
few years later by purchase.
Az early as 1913 the people OF New
Mexic. petitioned Congress to be admitted
10 the Union az state Iheir prayeF
was destined IT, be longer denied than
that of any other TERRITORY IN the nls.ory
OF the country. In 1850, the government
still being a military depotism conven-
ton met at Santa Fe and formed con-
stitution and elected state officers. TINS
constitution prohibited slavery.
-
in af nQn thu
touchstone by which every public question
was tested.
Government Provided and New Mex
leo was bound
for New Mexico. to lose. Tho
famous compromise of 1850. which adj
mitted California and overthrow the bal
ance of the slave and free states In the
Senate, provided for territorial gov
eminent for New. Mexico. Under that
form of government its people have con-
tinued ever since. until this year. al
though not a year has passed that they
have not begged for statehood. A dozen
states have been admitted since 1850 that
did not have the population or develop
ment Of New Mexico. but party pontics
and prejudice on account OF the large
proportion of Spanish-speakfng popuia-
ton combined to close the door
According TO the last census. New MeSi-
co had 81 .:396 inhabitants, gain OF more
than two-thirds i'm ten Years ana nus.
S,hen n came into the Union, IL WAS the
largest state in population at the time OF
admission with the single exception OF
Oklahoma In area IL Is larger than all
of the six New England states. and It's
non,,lation now IL greater than that OF
Nevada, Idaho and Wyoming TN the west
and of Delaware among the thirteen
original states.
has three distinct classes OF cftizeis-tho
pue,,los. who are citizens of tho United
states by the treaty Of 1S&s: the Sp4uish-