El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-09-06
Mime. On Dit Relates
Why Billy Walton Is
A Lover of New Mexico

The New York Morning Telegraph OF re-
cent date is adorned with a striking like
ness of Congressman Billy Walton Of New
Mexico, q four-column headline and three
columns of biography and interview with
Walton, being one of a series of articles on
new congressman by Madame On Dit"
Extensive quotations from Walton speeches
in the Congressional Record, heretofore pub.
lished in the New Mexican, repeat his trib-
utes to New Mexico and her people; and
the following part of the interview is also
of interest:
AS 1t Is New Mexico has only to acquire
about 10000 more population to entitle her
to two representatives. From Mr.. Walton's
point Of view 1t Is the great opportunity
not only for that specific 10000, but for ten
times 10000 to come in and inherit the
land. Not that Mr.. Walton is lonesome in
Congress, but because the state he repre-
sents is irresistible in its lure of wealth and
health and happiness.
1T 10 a great land, New Mexico" he said
yesterday, and 1t is impossible to live there
any length OF time. and not feel the inspir-
alton of state and civic pride. One of
the oldest arts of the country and most
romantic, historically, 1t is still practically
unknown outside of its own environments.
Really, it is amazing to find how frequently
the statef of New Mexico is confused with
the republic. It is necessary to put it on
the map over and over again, for the
well, for the careless"
zone drink OF the Rio Grande and you
can't live without it! Whereas, representa-
tives are greatly concerned with national
and intarnafioual offoirc tba ;ofo.oat. -
their state and constituents are the init.
mate business of their life in congress, and
that is especially true of myself. New Mex
leo has been a state for only a few years,
and in process Of readjustment there is
80 much at stake for the welfare and de.
velopment that | shall sit tight with that In
view. Take the item of public lands,
for instance. Last December the home
steader was allowed $40 acres, an allot-
ment considered necessary to produce re.
suits. OF course, you know there are places
in the west where 1880 acres would not be
adequate under cultivation to yield a liv-
ing. Now there are trains of wagons carry
ing men and their families and household
effects, trekking into the state, waiting for
their lawful apportionment of the public
land whereon they can establish a claim
for themselves and the generations to fol.
low. That in itself is a big proposition,
and there are many others incident to the
welfare of this new state that are bound
to keep a man absorbed primarily in its
affairs"
I'm the east one gets the impression of
the moneymad crowds, pushing, rushing,
night and day, year In and year out, to ac-
cumulate money. They shorten their lives.
those people in the mad rush, lose their
sense Of proportion, their sense of values.
and a lot of good solid pleasure beside. In
New Mexico we like to accumulate money,
too, but we do it more by progression, than
by wild pursuit."
Hasn't the climate something to do with
the difference?' some one asked.
Undoubtedly! The climate, and the
magnificent distances-the great heights. the
limitless spaces. Unconsciously one takes
on another standard for himself, or the old
standard, perhaps, clarified in that wonder
ful air. Now, at Silver City, where / live,
we get warm weather, of course, and we
say it's hot, as you do here. The recorded
temperatur may be the same in both places,
but what a difference! Why, / wondered
what was going to happen to me during
that hot spell we had and discovered it
was humidity. AT home it's high and dry
while here it is low and moist. alke
the New Mexico habit of high and dry very
much better. And, to my way of thinking.
that climate is conducive to better effort,
better judgment. Men are broader. more
generous in their estimate of things big
and little. There is a frank and fair ap-
probation of real worth, and an indifference
to so-called caste that keeps ambitions
fresh and undiscouraged. If the great
heights at which men live and the wide
spaces in which they travel make for
broader souls, perhaps that explains it."