New Mexico's Quest for Statehood, 1846-1912

XV. The Enabling Act

FIFTEEN plausibly have been totally discouraged by Arizona's rejection of jointure. But the prevailing spirit after 1906 was one of refusal to surrender hope. Bradford Prince was quick to point out in a letter to Beveridge that the territory gave a majority of more than 11,000 votes to the consolidation proposal. Nothing could show the intense desire of the people for selfgovernment more forcibly than this vote for statehood, in spite of the "unnatural" union proposed and the loss of the historic name of New Mexico. The only course left for the territory was to hold a convention, form a constitution, and submit it to Congress. "We shall hope for your approval, and that of all true Americans everywhere, in this effort to obtain , after long unjust deprivation, that most fundamental right of American Citizenship,—Self-government."1 Statehood leaders throughout the territory now thought that if the election day suggestion of the New Mexican for a constitutional convention were followed, congressional action on an enabling act might still come in the near future. Nevertheless, pessimism was the mood of a number of territorial papers for some time after the defeat of jointure. The AlbuquerqueMorning Journal quoted an unnamed senator who declared that no other conditions for statehood would be considered except jointure.2 Ex-delegate Rodey, now a federal judge in Puerto Rico, opined that it would be impossible for New Mexico to become a state for at least twenty years.3 There was even talk that because of the failure ofconsolidation , Arizona might be joined with Nevada, adding to that state's area.4 2 53 The Enabling Act EW MEXICANS MIGHT N 254 NEW MEXICO'S QUEST FOR STATEHOOD Had Beveridge's view been widely known, this pessimism would have been more pronounced. The Indiana lawmaker's views were unchanged and, writing to Dr. Hamilton W. Mabie of The Outlook, he urged that the idea of separate admission be attacked exactly as it had been during the struggle over the Knoxbill.5 The influential Harper's Weekly wasalso approached. Because of scanty rainfall and an inadequate water supply, Beveridge was sure that the Western mountain states would never have more than 5,000,000 people. If the total population of the United States reached 200,000,000 in fifty years, this sparsely populated area, having only a fraction of the total, would constitute one-sixth of the voting power of the Senate, a "denial of representative government/'6 In reply to a letter from George Curry, the new territorial governor, Beveridge reiterated his stand against the immediate admission of New Mexico.7 Beveridge's opposition was a continuing detriment as he was still chairman of the Committee on Territories, and his judgments were considered seriouslyby Roosevelt. Throughout most of 1907, a sensational land fraud scandal, centered in New Mexico, greatly jeopardized the territory's case for admission. Hagerman , Governor Curry's predecessor, was removed from office in the midst of serious charges and countercharges. The trouble probably began when Hagerman removed the politically powerful Bursum as superintendent of the state penitentiary for what the governor called "inefficient and irregular " administration.8 Bursum said that the discrepancies which were discovered in the prison accounts were due to mistakes of his subordinates. Nevertheless, voluntarily or upon demand, the embattled superintendent paid back into the territorial treasury sums amounting to nearly $5,000. This rekindled smoldering hostilities that had kept the party split since the tumultuous administration of Governor Otero. Roosevelt had appointed Hagerman because as an outsider he would not be aligned with any of the factions that had been formed as a result of Otero's feuds with Hubbell, Rodey, and Catron. Hagerman came in as a reform governor and had the initial backing of the President against certain territorial leaders whom the new executive labeled members of the "machine." In early disputes with men like Bursum; Wallace Raynolds, secretary of the territory; and Colonel George W. Pritchard, territorial attorney general; Hagerman received Roosevelt's warm support. I entirely approve of your course. I shall give you an entirely free hand in the Territory because I hold you to an absolute responsibility for conduct of affairs. Remove whenever you deem wise the three men whom you report as unsatisfactory and improper Government officials, and any others whom you may thus find to be unsatisfactory and improper.9 THE ENABLING ACT 255 Armed with such...