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Show 1912 589 There was an apparent determination CP te ae a ae ey ry Lie, Fed tae ee ee pee 88 EEG ee a Ey bona fagee Fi Wee Peel adh At PH ee a) on the part of the people to at aa submitted, to the president 8 make the majority as large as possible so that the world would come to know what were the sentiments of New Mexica ns on the subject of statehood rather than on the merits of the constit ution submitted for their approval or rejection. In due course a, certified copy of the constitution, as ratified, was approval in conformity with the enabling act. On Februa ry 24, 1911, the president, in a message to the senate and house of repre- of the United States and to congress for Sentatives, reeommended the approval of the same by congress.*% *°8 These counties were I.incoln, Roosevelt, San Juan, and Sierra. Prior to the election of January DI Re icsac Convention, the 21, 1911, under a resolution passed by the constituti onal Secretary of the territory caused to be printed and mailed to i - is eo ay, ries epee he aa oF te hl ee ok ny Nr Efe kPa Oe et We be a FY POP ee eke a oe + Gone grebne eeeeoa sear ee ee ee a PE » ae United States and to congress for approval, and if Congress and the president approve of such constitution, or if the presint approves of the same and congress fails to disapprove the same, during the next regular Session thereof, then that the president shall certify said fact to he S0vernor of New Mexico, who shall proceed to issue his proclamation for the “ection of state and county officers ete. ‘The constitution, prepared in accordance with the act of congress, has been duly Tatified by the people of New Mexico, and a certified copy of the same has Pl Fs rh in the manner provided by the statute, a certified copy of the same shall be Submitted to the president of the rae 0 the Senate and House of Representatives: The act New Mexico to form a constitution and state governmen to enable the people of t and to be admitted to the union on an equal footing with the original states, as passed June 20, 1910, provides that when the constitution, for the adoption of which provision ‘8 made in the act, shall have been duly ratified by the people of New Mexico ek aoe ee * every registered voter in New Mexico, a copy of the constitution, printed in the language he best understood. #99 William Howard Taft, Message to the senate and house of representa 6é tives: " IE oe es! majority for the constitution as presented of 18,343. Only four of the twenty-six ‘counties voted against its adoption.*% The pronounced majority by which the constit ution was adopted was not a perfect index of popular judgment as to the merits of the instrument. There was an overwhelming desire for statehood at any price. Many of the radical element were well aware of the substantial opposition to statehood which existed in the populous states of the Atlantic seaboard. They realized, if the constitution was rejected, that affirmative legislation by congress was necessary in order to hold another session. The vast majority believed that this was the only chance. They considered that the constit ution as presented was a sort of compromise measure and its rejection at the time would be an experiment which might result in great misfortune. Peer 1880 TO |