alternatehistory.com

In the book Lost States by Michael Trinkton, we get a glimpse of of the many Western States that could have been, in this case sparsely occupied Arizona and New Mexico Territory:

Speaking of stupidity, I have to mention the sorry tale of Stephen Elkins—the New Mexico Territory delegate to the United States Congress back in 1875. That year, population issues didn't seem to matter to Congress—and the Senate and House were both in favor of New Mexico statehood. But just before the final vote, Elkins entered the House floor and conspicuously shook hands with congressman Julius Burrows of Michigan.

That was a huge mistake.

Burrows had been extremely critical of southern racial policies—infuriating congressmen from states like Georgia and Alabama. So when the southern delegation saw Burrows fraternizing with Elkins, they immediately switched their votes. It was just enough to kill the statehood bill. One ill-advised handshake meant New Mexico would have to wait 37 more years to join the Union.

Now if he had simply avoided that handshake, could we have gotten the state of Montezuma? Would it enter the Union that year (1875) and if so which way would it have voted in the extremely close election of 1876? What would this mean for the other western states, including Nevada and Utah?

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