Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-02-25
STATEHOOD
SITUATION
Delegate B. S. Rodey Made q
Final Plea for the Separate
Admission of New Mexico.
CONGRESS WILL ACT
Senator Beveridge Says That the Sen
ate Will Pass the Joint Bills at
This Session.

Dispatches to the Denver and St.
Louis morning newspapers throw in
teresting sidelights upon the statehood
situation at the national capital. A
special telegram to the Denver Repub-
lican says:
The House committee on territories
on Tuesday concluded the statehood
hearings and decided to report two
bills
One provides for the joining of Okla
homa and Indian Territory as one
state.
The other provides for joining New
Mexico and Arizona as one state, to be
known as Arizona.
The decision was by strict party
vote, all Democrats on the committee
opposing and all Republicans favoring
the proposition.
There was an effort made to bring
in Oklahoma and Indian Territory and
leave out the other territories, but it
failed of general support.
Delegate Rodey of New Mexico, the
most persistent advocate of statehood
in Congress, was present and made
pathetic appeal for single statehood
for New Mexico, when he realized that
it could not be obtained, he said he
would acquiesce, and, turning to Dele
gate Wilson of Arizona, who is hold
ing out for single statehood, Mr.. Rodey
said
"Up TO this point we have stood to-
gether, but now we must separate
New Mexico citizens, rather than be
deprived of statehood, will endeavOr to
form constitution under the terms of
the proposed legislation and at the
polls would determine if they care to
accept this measure instead of one
which they should have by right and
justice"
Delegate Rodey is of opinion that
the bills to be reported will pass the
House.
Senator Beveridge, chairman of the
Senate committee on territories, said
that if the bills passed the House they
would undoubtedly pass the Senate at
the present session.
Will 6e SSttlSO dt I0e FOIS.
To this dispatch to the Rocky
Mountain News adds:
In discussing his new position Mr..
Rodey afterwards said
"The only hope I now see for state
hood is through jointure. After these
two states are admitted am sure that
for a quarter of century no state
with less than 100000 inhabitants
will be admitted to the union. Colo
1ado, even, could not become state
il she was a territory today. | have,
therefore, decided to favor the joint
statehood course, and allow the people
to settle the matter at the polls when
they vote for their constitution.
Among the Republicans there is talk
of advocating an appropriation OF 3D.
900 900 aores of land and. $4,000, 900 In
cash to the new state of Arizona, in
case it Isl formed This will enable
the various debts to be paid off. An
appropriation of $1O,000.0O0 is pro-
posed for Oklahoma. The committee
will draw uh at once reports favoring
the two states.
Many FormaIities Necessary.
In addition special to the Globe
Democrat says:
1t has been pointed out repeatedly
by statehood boomers that if bill
were to be enacted by next May its
provisions could not possibly be in ef-
feet until March 4. 1906. The first
formality to be observed afte- the pas
sage of statehood bill would be the
calling of convention to select dele
gates to a constitutional convention.
Ninety days would likely be given for
that purpose Another ninety days at
least would be allowed the constitu-
tional convention after it assemblies to
conclude its work. Then the constitu-
tion would have to be submitted to the
people of the territory for ratification.
These three formalities would con-
sume at least nine months. The consti.
tuition, if adopted by the people of the
territory, will have to be sent back to
Congress for ratification, and the for
malities would conclude with the cleo
tion of delegate to perform that duty.
He could not possibly get the matter
before Congress much before next
winter, and it would not be acted up.
on before 1906.
Delegate Mcclure of Oklahoma,
speaking on this phase of the matter,
said:
ut does not matter whether we get
single or double statehood, the time Is
FOO short now for any kind of state
hood legislation to affect the coming
national and congressional election.
There will be delegate elected as
usual at the next election. His term
may be short, that depending upon
the provisions of the bill as we'll as
the action of the various elections In
the territories in relation to constitu'
tional convention and the constitution