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Show 068 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY The last territorial administration saw the same prevailing spirit of progress, increase in land values, improved educational facilities, and general prosperity which had characterized the four years preceding. The census for 1910 showed an increase of 67.6 per cent in population over 1900, the entire population amounting to 327,396. The territory of New Mexico, at the time of its admission to the Union, was possessed of a great deal of property consisting of publie buildings, all of which had been paid for in funds derived from setts until 1898 when he became judge of the district court of Essex county, at Haverhill. With the admission of New Mexico into the Union, Judge Abbott returned to the state of Massachusetts. Prior to his departure a banquet and reception were tendered him at Alburquerque where many addresses laudatory of his career were made by the members of the bar and representative men of the second judicial district over which he had presided. Merritt C. Mechem is a native of Ottawa, Kansas. He was born October 10, 1870. He came to New Mexico March 23, 1903, and located at Tucumcari, where he began the practice of law. He had received his education at Ottawa Baptist University, at: Ottawa, Kansas, and at the Kansas State University at Lawrence. He was admitted to the bar at Fort Smith, Arkansas, in 1899. March 16, 1905, ‘he was appointed district attorney for Quay and Guadalupe counties. In 1909, he was elected a member of the territorial council for the So Cr nan fifth district, composed of the counties of Quay, Guadalupe, and San Miguel. In the same year he was appointed associate justice of the supreme court by President Taft and assigned to the seventh corro. At the election of 1911, he was without opposition. district, elected with headquarters judge of the seventh EL, fi at So- district Edward R. Wright was born at Skaneateles, New York, June 23, 1877. He attended the public schools of his native county. He is a graduate of Hamilton college, Clinton, New York. Judge Wright came to New Mexico in September, 1901, and in December of that year took up his residence at Santa Rosa, where he lived until appointed to the bench. He was admitted to the ‘practice 1 New Mexico in 1902; was district attorney for the counties of Guadalupe an Quay in 1907. In July, 1910, he was appointed associate justice of the sw preme court of New Mexico, sueceeding Alvord W. Cooley, resigned. He was assigned to the sixth district with headquarters at Alamogordo. He was nom mated for justice of the supreme court of New Mexico by the republican party si the first state election and was defeated by R. H. Hanna, progressive repub1¢an. Je : Clarence J. Roberts was born in Jefferson county, Indiana, in 1873. Eocene hong eh£S go hog nl era, Cire ea ; : He received his primary education in the common schools. He taught school for several years, paying the expenses incident to his collegiate education. At the age of 19, he began reading law and two years later was admitted to the De of his native state. He was elected county attorney for Jefferson county, Indiana, and held that office until he removed to the state of Colorado in 190. Here, at Trinidad, he formed a partnership with Jesse G. Northcutt. In a° he removed to Raton. He was elected a member of the legislative assembly New Mexico in 1909. A year later he was chosen a member of the const! tutional convention where he rendered valuable service. The same year he Te ceived the appointment of associate justice of the supreme court of New Mexico and presided over the fourth judicial district court. In 1911, he was elected 0 the state supreme 1912, was chosen court chief and upon justice, the organization x of the court, in January, Ri alas 2 ° dc-simile of Signatures . ae of the Framers a 1 ; x of the Constitution of 1910 Sea |