Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-04-20
Makes Eloquent Speech Before
the House on Resources of
New Mexico.
WILSON BITTER
LY OPPOSED
To Joint Statehood. d-..DecIares it to Be
Against the Will Of the People Of
Both Territories.

Washington, April 20--After de-
bate extending through the entire ses-
sion the House yesterday passed the
bill providing for the joint statehood
of Oklahoma and Indian Territory, un-
der the name of Oklahoma, and of Ari-
zona and New Mexico under the name
of Arizona Mr.. Williams the minority
leader in discussing the rule reported
| by the committee on rules, providing
| for the immediate consideration of the
bill, said that no Republican thought
that the bill would become law at
this session of Congress. The bill was
opposed by Delegate Wilson of Aris
zona, declaring that the union of New
Mexico and Arizona was against the
will of the people and that the bill
was ultra-radical in policy and poll
tical revolution in both legislation and
policy. Delegates Rodey of New Mex
leo, and Mcclure of Oklahoma, favor
ed the bill Mr.. MCGUIRE stated that
the bill did not exactly conform to his
idea of what was wanted by the people
of Oklahoma but declared that should
it be passed, there would not be a vote
against it either in Oklahoma or In.
dian Territory.
Mr. Curtis of Kansas, made a brief
speech in support of the bill. He said
that the Indians of the five civilized
tribes, and the whites of Oklahoma,
were ready for statehood and that 80
per cent of the Indians were in favor
of Joint statehood with Oklahoma.
Republican opposition to the bill
came from Mr. Needham of California,
who was vigorously opposed to joint
statehood for New Mexico and Arizona
Mr. Russell of Texas criticised the plan
| for the division of delegates to the
constitutional convention of the state
of Oklahoma, which he said proceeded
on the rule of eliminating from the
population of the Indian Territory the
Indians of the five civilized tribes.
Delegate Rodey closed the debate
by saying that while the bill did not
suit the people of his Territory, they
nevertheless acquiesced in it. AT
some length he discussed the resour-
ces of New Mexico and Arizona and
asked if agriculture alone was neces-
sary to support population, When he
cited New York City which with its
vast population did not produce a po-
tato, as an example, he was loudly ap-
plauded.
Delegate Wilson of Arizona, asked
Delegate Rodey if New Mexico with
all it's resources did not prefer single
statehood, to which Delegate Rodey
replied that his views on the subject
were we'll known and that if his peo-
pie did not like the measure they had
the privilege of voting it down at the
polls, ''as the election expenses were
to be paid by the government" He
predicted that the population of New
Mexico in 1910 would be one million
and closed his speech with an earnest
plea for the passage of the bill.
House.
Washington, April 20-When the
House met today Mr.. Wadsworth of
New York, called up the conference
report of the agricultural bill which
was agreed to. The conference report
of the naval bill was then taken up.
Senate.
Washington, April 20-In the Sem
ate today Senator Hale from the COM
mittee on appropriations reported the
general appropriation bill Senator
Bolliver addressed the Senate on the
trust question