Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-04-25
DELEGATE R0DEY.
Yours truly

f1ultoI NEW MeNltdn, santa re, ". NJ.
Albuquerque. n. NJ. April Is, 1903
Il notice In your Issue of yesterday
that you advise that the decorations
committee of Santa Fe do not in any
manner bring forward statehood in the
way of notices, etc. In 'ts decorations
on the occasion of the visit OF the pres.
ident, and you argue that the president
knows all about our desire in that re.
gard and that II would be more or less
Of an affront to him to do so.
Permit me to suggest that to leave
statehood out altogether would be. In
my opinion and am sure in the opin-
ion OF many residents of New Mexico,
somewhat of piece of cowardice. You
say that IL senators or congressman
were In the party. then to put state
hood notices in the decorations would
be proper. Permit me to suggest that
II Is quite as proper to put statehood
notices In the decorations when the
president is one OF the branches OF the
government OF this country. co-ordin-
ate and equal with the other two This
country's government is executive.
legislative and judicial. each independ.
ent % the other within It's proper
sphere. The president of the United
States has the power to sign or veto
any statehood bill passed by congress.
Therefore. he Is naturally a party to
any such measure. He has even the
RICH. - advise congress to pass
statehood bill. or not to pass state
hood bill II he chooses President
Harrison recommended to congress In
one OF his messages the passage OF
statehood bill. Michigan. Nebraska
and Colorado had their statehood bills
vetoed several times before they were
finally passed.
THE president of the United States
Is doing us the great honor OF visiting
us as president He Is not coming
here as Theodore Roosevelt. We are
not receiving him as Theodore Roose-
welt, except incidentally. Therefore
respectfully contend that after New
Mexico's great fight in the last con-
gress for statehood. II would be an act
Of cowardice for us to leave statehood
out OF the notices In his reception. His
reception ought to he reception OF
the whole people. not necessarily q re-
ception OF any part or portion alone.
The whole people OF New Mexico
should be the Judge OF whether or not
We want statehood. II will. think. he
conceded, that our people have ex-
pressed themselves pretty thoroughly
on that subject.
He will not think any the more OF
us II we leave out the matter that Is
dearest to our hearts in his reception.
We either were in good faith In our
fight for statehood. or we were not. II
we were in good faith, we ought to
show the president of the United
States. now when the opportunity OF.
fers. that our fight was made In good
faith. and that we still want state.
hood.
II sincerely hope that the decorative
committee OF the city OF Santa Fe will
In a modest. but yet proper manner,
exhibit the desire OF the people for
statehood by Incorporating that fact In
reasonable and proper way In their
decorations, such as by the motto
Statehood and Roosevelt In 1904 etc.
II il the remotest thing from my idea
to have any pickering over such
thing as the reception OF the president
of the United States by citizens OF New
Mexico. but cannot sit suplnely by
and see an effort OF this kind made.
because feel sure the people OF New
Mexico do not approve OF II.
~ know there Is a movement, that
In my opinion Is not creditable. TO try
and keep the statehood question In the
background during the presidents Wis
It, and as one citizen OF the territory
who has taken at least some part In
the statehood fight. | protest against
II. This movement failed at Albu-
querque. Statehood will be modestly
and properly put forward In the dec
orations there. hope you will pub
lish this
Sincerely yours.
"B. s. RODEY."