OCR Text |
Show being Enied with Arizona and a plea for Statehood the NeWjMexicans urged an ingenious reason. . They reqnested Congress to Remember that more than half of the Rough Eider element which formed such a striking background for the then Col. Roosevelt in the war with Spain wa obtained from New Mexico. The country is not likely to forget the Rough Riders. inky were picturesque and entertaining, and their separate and composite profanity was the most illuminating' and comprehensive in history. We confess we did not know that half of the Rough Riders were from New Mexico. We had an impres-sJon impres-sJon that they were citizens of North 'America mostly, and that some of them would ;f eel at home in any climate no matter how hot. But we. are willing will-ing to take the word of the Legislature of. New Mexico for it, and we presume Congress will do likewise. like-wise. However,' things hare changed since the days of San Juan hill and embalmed beef. , We have forgot ten the Maine. We no longer think of Cuba Libre except in connection with the tariff on sugar. W0 have forgotten Weyler, and we no longer care w hether Sampson or Schley won, the victory at Santiago. San-tiago. Shatter is not even a memory, and our soul are no longer harrowed up by the thoughts of thft slaughter of that Matanzas mule. In brief, the war with Spain is a Dead One. While the glamor of the war was still around us the Rough Riders were the whole works, the case and the. chain, but now they are hardly a broken second hand. The pages of history record the charge up San Juan hill, but if they are truthful pages they ill also record that it wasn't really San Juan hill, and that the colored regulars charged some time prior to the Rough Riders. It will also be set down that had it not been for the colored brethren the Rough Riders would have been badly 8hot up. But that is mere detail. The Rough Riders Rid-ers were in Cuba, anyway, and Col. Roosevelt rode at their head and signed a round robin. Some he-ioes he-ioes didn't do that much. A The war is over, unfortunately, and the Rough Riders are walking the paths of peace so far as we know. Even Sherman Bell has suspended hostilities hostili-ties in Colorado pending the unseating of Gov. Adams and the restoration of Feabody to the throne. Congressmen are talking about railroad rates and the tariff instead of weeping for Bleeding Cuba and anathematizing Cruel Spain. Incidentally Incidental-ly they are getting all there is out of some Live Issues. Is-sues. As we remarked, the war with Spain is a Dead One. In these circumstances we are inclined to doubt that the-earnest if somewhat belated argument argu-ment of the New Mexico legislators will have much weight with Congress. Republics are ungrateful, and their memories are short when there are no more votes in an issue. ! New Mexico has our sympathy that she is not able to offer a more convincing argument. Still, the 1 fact that she contributed half of the Rough Riders may be as good a reason as any why New Mexico should be a State. Rough RirJars and Statthood. The able members of the esteemed Legislature ; of the Territory of New Mexico are anxious that ; Statehood should be granted, and that hated Arizo- na be not hitched in double harness with New Mexico Mex-ico They have arrived at adefinite conclusion in i the matter, and have communicated their views to the Congress of the United States. Thev show a certain kind of shrewdness down ; there. ItMs interesting, but whethei it will be ef- fective depends upon the mood Congress is in, and ' that is something no one ever knotfs in advance. In telegraphing to Congress a protest against |