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Show ee 402 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY NEW feating Gallegos in the first and Don Pedro Valdez in the second contest. From 1861 many efforts were made to secure the admission of New Mexico ®28 into the Union. During Elkins’s incumbency he in the territories. In 1869 Mr. Elkins was elected president of the First National Bank of Santa Fé, which position he held for thirteen years. His income from his law practice and other sources was large and, being very economical in his expenditures, at an early date he was able to associate himself with Jerome B. Chaffee and others of the state of Colorado, in mining enterprises which proved very profitable. In 1873 he was elected delegate to congress from the territory and in 1875, while traveling in Europe, was re elected by a large majority notwithstanding the fact that he had positively declared that he would not accept another term. Having been elected, however, he responded to reputation by his New Mexico as a His first wife, the call of duty, and during his second term won national brilliant and determined efforts to secure the admission of state. : Sallie Jacobs, whom he had married in Lexington, Missouri, in 1866, having died in Santa F%, leaving him two daughters, Mr. Elkins, while in congress, married a daughter of Henry Gassaway Davis, at the time a senator from West Virginia. After the expiration of his term in congress Mr. Elkins moved to New York. He became interested in extensive tracts of coal lands in West Virginia to which state he removed, where he became largely interested in the development of the railroads and natural resources of that state. He continued to take an important part in national politics and served for several years as a member of the national republican committee. In 1884 he was elected chairman of the executive committee; he was mainly instrumental in bringing about the nomination of James G. Blaine in 1884, of Harrison in 1888 and 1892. In 1891 he was appointed secretary of war 12 the Harrison cabinet and served until February, 1894, when he was elected United States senator. He took his seat the following year and was reélected in 1901 and again in 1907. Among the achievements standing to the credit of Senator Elkins is the Elkins anti-rebate bill, soon after he entered the senate; a tion providing for many important improvements of the Ohio, Kanawha, an f bills _ Big Sandy rivers; innumerable material amendments to the railroad 1907 and 1910, and many modifications of the tariff. He was first to sugges the use of army engineers in the construction of the Panama canal. j During the late sixties and until after the expiration of his second term a congress Elkins, Mr. Elkins was of Santa Fé, New the senior Mexico. member He of formed the the leaders among the native people in New Mexico, subsequent to his departure from the territory, was willing to assist the people of the territory. law many firm warm of Catron a friendships wit and during all the oe always found ready jae He died January 4, 1911. lutions prepared by a committee of the bar of the supreme court of the Rese ae tory, respecting the life and labors of this distinguished citizen, were prese? ‘a, at the January term, 1911, of the court, and ordered incorporated of the court. 328 Efforts of 1861. U.S. in the recor Gov. Doc., 36th cong., 2d sess., Sen. Mise. ie In 1866, by legislative enactment the gore II; House Journal, 534, 560. was authorized to call a convention, to be elected the first Monday 1 bee to meet at Santa F% the fifth Monday in April, and the constitution to be Vv on the fourth Monday in June. Laws, 1865-6; H. Mis. Doce. 57, 39th hie Ist sess., with proclamation. In 1869-71 efforts were made to secure rie sion as the state of Lincoln. Laws, 1869-70, p. 190-5, appendix. 4 i 1871-2, p. 54-6; bills in congress referred and reported. 2d and 3d sess.; Congressional U. S. Acts, 41st i a Globe, 1869-71, as per index, including 4 9P 4 MEXICO DURING THE CIVIL RO cae WAR 403 labored incessantly in behalf of his constituents and had it not been for an unfortunate circumstance, under his guidance a bill for the admission of New Mexico into the Union would have become law. At a crucial time, an inflammatory speech made in congress by Julius Caesar Burrows, on what was known as the ‘‘force bill,’’ greatly antagonized the entire southern delegation. When the speaker had finished the southern representatives were highly incensed. Elkins came in a few moments prior to the conclusion of the speech and was among the first to congratulate the speaker. This act was noticed by the southern members, some of whom, in a vote taken later on, helped pass the measure so far as Colorado was concerned but registered their votes in the negative as to New Mexico.” This made by Colonel J. Francisco Chaves in favor of the measure, in the Globe of 1870-1, appendix 244; Sen. Journal, 41st cong., 3d sess., 500. Idem, 42d cong., Ist sess., 203, House Journal, 237. Meanwhile a convention was held at Santa Fé and a constitution was formed. This was approved by the goyernor February Ist, and an act of the legislature ordered an election for the first Monday in June, state officers to be elected, if the constitution was adopt- ed, on the first Monday in September. See New Mex. Journal, 1871-2, ap- pendix. The vote was not received in time to be legally counted before the period expired and the movement came to naught. N. Mex. Mess. of Governor, 1873, pp. 17-18. The house bill on the state of Lincoln was tabled in the Senate, Cong. of voting was Globe, 1871-2, p. 2950; referred in the house. and presently a bill to extend the time The legislative assembly of 1873-4 sent another memorial to congress and a bill was passed by the house but referred by the senate. Cong. Globe, 1873-4; H. Rept. 561, 43d cong., 1st sess. In 1875 the house bill was passed by the senate with amendments, another resolution having been received from the New Mexico assembly, 44th cong., Ist sess. Senate Report 69; H. Mis. Doc. 63. In 1876 there was another memorial and another bill, which passed the senate after much discussion, but did not go beyond reference to a committee in the house. 43d cong., Ist sess.; H. Mis. Doc. 190; Globe, 1875-6, per index; 43d cong., 2d sess. H. Journal, 577, 645; 44th cong., 1st sess.; House Report, 503. See Bancroft, H. H., History of Arizona and New Mezico, pp. 720, 721, and note. 829 Patterson, Thomas M., Thoughtless Act defeated Statehood, Rocky Mountain News, Denver. Thomas M. Patterson, ex-United States Senator from the state of Colorado, tells the story of how New Mexico failed and Colorado won in the fight for statehood, as follows: ‘‘The first session of the 43rd congress Commenced on the first Monday in December, 1873. Very shortly after it convened Jerome B. Chaffee and Stephen B. Elkins, who had been elected from the Territory of New Mexico to the 43rd congress, determined to make a united effort for the admission of both Colorado and New Mexico into the Union. They were both men of great social and political influence in Washington, particularly Mr. Chaffee, who was not only considerably older than Mr. Elkins, ut was also a much wealthier man, with a wider and more influential political acquaintance. They were both republicans and determined to make the admis- Sion of the two territories a party measure, the reason being that the republicans were would require in a decided party majority pressure to in the senate induce the many and house, eastern and members they and knew it senators ate |