Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-08-28
HITS NAIL
ON THE HEAD
Delegate Rodey Tells New York
Commercial Some Plain Truths
About FiIibustering.
ENEMIES OF STATEHOOD
SAYS If New Mexico We're Given Its
Dues Financial Legislation
Could Be Raised.

In recent communication to the
New York Commercial, Delegate Ro-
dey hits the nail on the head and tells
some plain truths as to the filibuster
ing and obstructive measures that the
enemies of the statehood bill adopted
during the Fifty-seventh Congress,
thus delaying the passage of import
ant financial legislation. Delegate
Rodey, who is ever awake to the in
terests Of the people Of the Territory,
declares that he is in favor of the AL
drich bill, but points out that the ter
ritories have no vote. and that he As
therefore deprived of any power to act
ON the measures that are proposed.
He says that the easiest way to allow
the passage of needed legislation IS
TO bring the statehood question to a
vote and thus permanently dispose OF
the matter In this connection he
points out how a few of the opponents
o. the bill succeeded in talking away
the whole session and by these tactics
not only prevented the statehood bill
from being voted upon, but also effec-
lively obstruoted the passage of other
rneritorious measures The letter
was written in reply to the circular
letter sent out by the New York Com
rnercial to the members of Congress
asking their views on the subject OF
currency legislation, and is as follows:
Editor New York Commercial:
Sir-l am thankful to you for paying
me the compliment to ask for my
views or the subject of currency leg
islation. The views of the territories
on any subject are ineffective, as they
have nc vote in Congress.
Personally, as a measure that
would have afforded immediate relief
to the country, was in favor of the
Aldrich financial bill that was defeated
at the close Of the last session OF Con-
gress. I believed then that that bill,
If it could have been passed in some
form, might have done good. So much
of the session had been used up by the
very few enemies of statehood for the
Territories in talking against the pass
age OF our bill-under the extraordi-
nary rules of the Senate that permit
continuous talk of that kind-that no
time was left either to discuss or pass
the Aldrich bill About a dozen Sena-
tors talked the entire second session
of the Fifty-seventh Congress against
an overwhelming constitutional ma
jority of that body, who desired to
pass our bill, and by their action they
defeated many other meritorious
measures, including this financial bill
Many Of the friends of statehood weoe
in favor of the Aldrich bill, or some
bill of the same nature, but told Mr..
Aldrich and the supporters Of that bill
plainly, when an effort was made to
pass the financial measure in the clos
Ing days of the Congress, that it would
not be permitted at that late day,
when the enemies of statehood, who
were also supporters of the Aldrich
UAk1, a0u uSOu ILC WAOAVN OOSoAoA ~
unjustly and so frivolously in fllibus-
tering against the rights of the Terri
tories
Personally, am in favor of any bill
that viii remedy the currency system.
I have not made study of the subject
and do not feel competent to have any
opinion about it until shall either
have made a study of it, or have
heard the arguments to be made In
the coming Congress on the subject.
The Territories had strength enough
in the last Congress to pass their bill
in the House, and had from eighteen
to twenty-five of constitutional ma
jority in the United States Senate
ready to vote for the bill during the
entire session, could vote have been
had.
am inclined to think-although it
is but my individual opinion and am
not authorized to speak for anybody
as to it-that the friends of financial
legislation who opposed statehood for
the Territories so persistently last
session may be able to render the pas
sage Of financial legislation easier by at
least ceasing to obstruct the will Of
majority of Congress on the statehood
question. It is my belief that the
friends of the Territories want to see
AL needed legislation pass at the CON-
ing Congress. 1t is to be hoped that
NO -such obstruction will be thrown. in
the way Of constitutional majority
rs there was during the last session.
The friends OF the statehood measure
kindly state to the people in the Ter
Fitories that they are in the fight to
stay. Therefore, the question is not
likely to down. It is up in the nation
II Congress to stay until its advocates
carry it through Congress, or it is de-