Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-12-02
NEW MEXICO WANTS STATEHOOD
Delegate Rodey Says That 10 Mos.
Important.

pelesate hodey OF New Mexico. who
came TO Washington a few days age.
paid his respects TO the president to-
day and will have a talk with him
later about statehood for the territory,
says the Washington Star. Asked IL
this was the most important matter
TO the people OF the territory. Mr..
Rodey said:
"Statehod is our great hope. You
don't think there is anything of more
Importance TO the territories than
that, do you?
But he added, II am a little wor.
ried as 10 whether or not the presi.
even II there Is nothing in the massage
about the territories. and. OF course.
! cant fin1 out till the message goes
TO congress. Unfortunately. in some
OF the territories political fights are
so bitter that the chances OF those
particular jurisdictions for admission
may have been temporarily injured
with the administration. However.
even ! fthere is nothing In the message
on the question, W. regard this ad.
ministration as very friendly to the
territories. and we have hopes that
we can get n special message on the
subject. But a recommendation for
NV oNhii5Ciph VI Nut lultF NOuNlltulhl
territories may be in the message
when It is sent in We are in the
dark as to that for the present"
When asked II he had anything i'm.
mediate end particular on hand IN
Washington. he stated he had come
TO Washington a few DAYS ahead of
the session so as TO appear before
the army board. which Is arranging
for the permanent location OF military
posts IN the west, and that he would
appear before that board; that he had
met some OF Its members on the way
from Chicago east, and that ex.Dele-
gate Ferguson, who was very well
posted on that subject, had come on
to Washington TO aid him in the mat.
ter.
When asked as to the conditions In
New Mexico at the present time. Mr..
Rodey became enthusiastic. and said
they never we're better in the history
OF the territory; that the territory Is
actually very prosperous. that about
500 miles Of railroad have been built
within a year and a half and 400 or
500 miles more are projected to be
built In the immediate future. which
will make nearly 1000 miles of
railroad In the territory. He said
that last summer had been q rainy one
and that conditions were In conse'
quence very good.
Statehood" said he "is the all alb.
sorbing issue. II has obscured even
the race for office among the pollti.
cians. In fact, all political parties in
the territory are 81 united and so
eager for statehood that they are
working IA a unit; the people held a
very large and enthusiastic convention
at Albuquerque on October l6, and
passed strong resolutions demanding
the admission of the territory and
showing that II had a population of
a quarter Of q million. a taxable wealth
of three hundred millions OF dollars.
and that H. was spending more for
the education OF its children than any
other jurisdiction in the nation. This
convention also authorized u COVER
nor to appoint a non.partisan commits.
sion OF fourteen delegates, to be head
ed by himself as the fifteenth. to
come to Washington this winter and
promote the passage OF the enabling
act by all honorable means"
Mr.. Rodey further stated that the
territory had assumed the first place
In the number OF sheep II was raising
and the wool II was growing. and was
| coming up toward the first place In
the number OF cattle II Is producing.
Also that mining was opening out so
much that II might be called some
what OF a boom; that the agricultural
interests were looking up; that II New
| Mexico could share in the results OF
the present efforts for irrigation In
the west about to be made by con.
gress II would be but a few years until
the territory would sun a very adj
vanced position as an agricultural 10.
cality, because II had plenty OF land
that could be irrigated by the mood
waters properly conserved and
distributed.