Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-03-18
TALK WITH ANTONIO JOSEPH
Opposition of New Mexico Repub-
licans Defeated Our State
hood Bill.
Democracy the Hope of Silver-In-
creased Appropriations for New
Mexico-Cemments.

faithfully represented New Mexico as a
delegate in congress for ten years, re-
turned to Santa Fe from Washington
last night and will leave for his home at
Ojo Caliente Springs in the morning.
Mrs. Joseph and Antonio, jr., are visiting
the good mother of the one and the grand
mother of the other in Missouri. Mr..
Joseph looks as natural as life. He car
ries his years and his we'll earned honors
with becoming dignity. He began pub
lie life as man of the people, never
overlooked the interests of the people or
letters of his most obscure constituent,
and retires to private life respected by
all who have read his record in congress.
When first the people of New Mexico be-
came acquainted with Antonio Joseph his
hair and beard we're black. Since then
Nature has poured solution of despised
silver over his head and streaks of gray
appear where black hair used to grow, but
his eye is as bright his mind as active
and his conscience as clear as it was ten
years ago.
TALK WITH Mr.. JOSEPH.
A New MEXICAN representative sought
an interview with Mr.. Joseph this morn
ing touching matters of interest to the
people. The reporter was cordially re.
ceived and the following informal CONVEX
sation ensued:
Reporter pecting the subject Of
statehood, what have you to say?
r.. IL L.. ~ l..
the Republicans of the senate acting un.
der the advice of prominent Republican.
of New Mexico. Some time before the
close of the session Senator German
chairman of the senate steering commit
tee, gave notice that he would press to
consideration and final passage the ap.
preparation bills, which had the right OF
way, in order that the New Mexico admis
sion bill might be called up. Immediately
upon that notice being served Republican
senators began to tilibuster against the
immediate disposal of the appropriation
bills, for the evident purpose of prevent
ing the consideration of the New Mexico
enabling act, as they we'll knew that if the
New Mexico bill was called up it's friends
we're strong enough to pass it. There
fore they resorted to flibustering and
thus prevented the passage of the appro-
priation bills until 10 o'clock on the
morning of Monday, March 4. Then it
was too late to call up the New Mexico
admission bill.
FAVORED BY DEMOCRATS.
Continuing, Mr.. Joseph said: "Deme
cratic senators did all in their power to
pass the New Mexico enabling act, and
if the changes in the rules of the body
proposed by Senator Hill had been made,
they would have defeated Republican fill
clustering and passed the measure and il
would have become law"
Reporter-What reason have you for
believing that Republicans in New Mexi,
co opposed your statehood bill?
Mr.. Joseph-Republican members OF
the senate committee on territories as.
sured me that they we're in receipt of let.
tiers from prominent Republicans in New
Mexico urging that the statehood bill
should be defeated at all hazards. After
these poisonous letters were received Re-
publican senators who had protested
friendship for the bill became lukewarm.
Even Senator Carey, of Wyoming, who
had promised to vote for the bill, intro
duced two fatal amendments, ono reduc-
ing the land donations as provided in the
house bill so per cent and the other that
the English language should be ex-
clusively taught in the public schools
These amendments were offered to
assure the defeat of statehood even IT
the act as amended should pass congress.
1t was known that the people of the ter
ritory would not submit to such unrea-
sonable tyranny.
EASTERN SENATORS ARRAYED AGAINST IT.
Reporter do the eastern people
feel on the subject of statehood?
Mr.. Joseph--My impression is that the
east is not favorable to the admission of
New Mexico as state. Eastern senators
are generally arrayed against US. For
several years the great western empire
has been rapidly aiming ground, and
eastern senators feel that it is time to call
a halt. Both Wall street and the A. P. A.
opposed our admission.
Reporter-Would the president sign a
bill admitting New Mexico?
Mr.. Joseph-Unquestionably he would.
He assured me several months ago that
he would sign the bill, remarking that
under the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
New Mexico should long ago have be-
come state, and that the longer the de-
lay the greater the outrage. The presi-
dent is a just man and would have been
glad to sign this New Mexico admission
bill if it had been presented to him.
SPEAKING ABOUT SILVER.
Reporter-What about silver?
Mr.. Joseph-Doubtless you have OBJ
served my name attached to the Demo
cratic silver proclamation with Silver
Dick BANDS name at the head. It has
appeared in the NEW MEXICAN for several
weeks. stand in with the Democrats on
the silver issue and believe that Democ-
racy is the hope of silver. Two-thirds of
the Democrats in the late house favored
silver and only one tenth of the Republi-
cans we're on that side. Democratic sill
YER leagues are being formed all over the
country under the call you are daily pub
fishing. In reply to your question as to
whether an international silver confer
ence is likely to be held, will say yes.
think such conference can not much
longer be postponed. Germany, England
and France now realize that they can not
longer get along without silver. OF
course the issue in such conference will
be as to ratio. 1t may be fixed at 20 to
and possibly may be forced to IS to /.