Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-04-23
OF NEW MEXICO.
Letter Urging the Importance Of
Statehood for New Mexico.
GOOD ARGUMENTS FOR STATEHOOD.

friend. presumably Mr.. Rodey. has
kindly sen me n copy of your issue
Of the 10th inst, in which you edito-
rally comment upon the Importance
Of statehood for New Mexico. and. in.
ci%dentally. refer to my services to the
territory. Nowadays. one so rarely
enjoys the satisfaction of having
ones altruistic aims appreciated that
| have much pleasure intendering to
YOU my most sincere thanks for your
courteous acknowledgment of my cf.
forts to protect our territorial water
rights.
Having taken up the great work OF
~impounding the food waters of the
Rio Grande at Elephant Butte. and
carrying ont n vast cOlOnizing
enterprise in the Rio Grande valley.
| have naturally come to consider
the future development of New Mex.
leo. as n whole. as an integral part
of my life work. I have now for
over seven years Identified myself
with the development of the Rio
Grandc valley. and of course I have
realized long since that anything that
Affects periodically, or otherwise.
the future of New Mexico as a whole,
must perforce likewise affect my un.
dertaking. The attempt made to de-
prive the people Of New Mexico OF
their inherent right to appropriate the
waters of the Rio Grande for irriga.
tion at once convinced me hat unless
statehood could be obtained speedily
the powerful influence back of the
international dam project must. Don
er or later. n way or another, In
hibit the %impounding of the flood wa.
tCrs OF the Rio Grande In New Mex.
leo. Consequently. when the Culber'
son.Stephens bill vas introduced, |
considered IL obligatory that | should
at once take up the fight for state
hood, and use to that end every influ.
ence at my command. With this oh
ioct In view. | have persistently con
tinued. by every means In my power,
TO try and induce the leaders of the
two great political parties of the ter
ritory to organize on definite lines a
plan of campaign in favor of the
admission Of New Mexico into the
sisterhood of states at the earliest
possible moment.
am afraid ! have made myself
something of a general nuisance tc
many Of my friends and acquaintance
throughout the territory who seem
lukcwarm I'm the cause, or who appear
to me to be slow to recognize the
imperative need OF early statehood
Il the territory's right to the waters
Of the Rio Grande Is to be adequately
protected from federal c~onfiscation.
Regardless of not n little scan
courtesy at the hands of some Il
whom have addressed my argu
mcnts, | have continued to urge i'm
mediate action with Il view to state
hood. Some | have convinced, but
apparently, others | have not. Ant
now. even though | risk appearing L
you unduly %exigeant, ! take the liber
~ of urging you to s~trenuously taxi
up the cause of statehood in the col
umns OF your journal. May ] ven
ture to suggest that you make state
hood the keynote OF your editoria
policy from now on; that you leave n
stone u%nturned, and miss no opportt
nifty to induce the people OF the tel
ritory. as a whole. to unite in support
ing the good work?
II Is hardly an eXaggeration to sa
that statehood means more for NeN
Mexico than IL has eve meant 10
| any other territory. Only by obtair
! ing statehood can we defend our WI
/ ter rights; and N right to the WI
tiers of the Rio Grande Is the mos
/, valuable right the people of the terri
tory possess. Valuable as New Me>
ico's mineral and pastoral wealth ma
be. the value to her of the waters O
the Rio Grandc Is infinitely greater
Doubtless many OF the pubiIc leader
in the territory fully realize this. bu
other interests claim their attention
more or less. for the time being, an,
unless the territorial press leads, 1
Is doubtful II more than a half-heart
ed fight for statehood will be made.
Mr.. Rodey Is. ! know, doing all Il
his power to arouse public interest
Governor Otero also IL, | believe, pr,
pared to do all that he can both Il
his official and private capacity, bu
more Is reQuired-if we are to SUI
T coed. The press must make the caus
of statehood its own.
There are so many urgent reason
for statehood that there need be n
doarth of argument for your editoria
writer's. The main argument that II
rigatiOn is essential to the life OF tn
territory, to its prosperity and con
plete development, and that. withou
statehood, our water rights cannot b
protected, and consequently capita
cannot be found for irrigation enteI
prises in the territory, should be PR
scented In every possible light to tn
, people again and agin.
NATHAN S. BOYD.