Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1904-03-09
ROOSEVELT AND STATEHOOD

] Both of PreScOtt's democratic pa- i pers seem to be worrying about how
 the republicans can endorse Roosevelt,
 since he has expressed himself in fla
 vor of joint statehood. The evening
 d. p. rambles along in a sort of inco-
 herent manner over nearly a column
 of space and while we know what he
 says, it is impossible to tell what he
 means. The Courier boiis its tears of sympathy down into few lines, as follows:
 'Gov. Brodie is a most pronounced opponent of joint statehood. President
 Roosevelt is a most pronounced advo- cate of the measure. How are our re-
 publican friends in Arizona going to
 put them to bed together and en- dorse them both in a bunch? But
 "politics make strange bedfellows.
 Now if President Roosevelt is quoted correctly the most serious thing that
 he is guilty of is in favoring joint statehood. He does not say that he is opposed to single or separate state
 hood, but does say that if that cannot be secured he will favor and work for joint statehood just as large number of congressman and senators flavor.
 But suppose even that he is opposed to separate statehood. Should Arizona republicans condemn his whole ad- ministration, or refuse to endorse it on account of his expressing an honest opinion on a subject with which they differ from him?
 By doing so they would certainly show themselves to be very narrow minded. Such action would be on a par with the man who discontinues taking a paper because the editor ex- pressed an opinion on some subject which he does not like. Such narrow minded individuals as the latter are occasionally found, but it would not seem possible that the republican party of Arizona is willing to go on record on such a narrow, contracted view of political affairs as that.
 Whether Arizona is admitted as state or not; whether Arizona and New Mexico are admitted as a joint state; whether President Roosevelt favors single statehood or joint state hood, the fact still remains that his administration has been a successful one, an honest one, his acts have been in the interest of the whole people, and have been pervaded with au un- derlying Americanism that has even excited and won the admiration of his political enemies. Thousands of democrats all over this broad land can be found who have not only ex- pressed their sentiment in his favor but who have also expressed their in tention of supporting him and voting for him at the next election. These | of course are broad minded, American citizens, in whom love of country is much stronger than love of party. | Men who judge his administration in | its broad entirety and not by single | utterance he might be accused of | making.
 As much as any one might disagree with the sentiment alleged to have been expressed by President Roose welt, on the question of joint state | hood, and however much it might be | deplored, to attempt 10 make political capitaI out of it is the work of a very narrow minded, individual. It only goes to show that the person doing so is opposed to him on general principles CT for some other cause, and uses this alleged expression as a peg to hang his objec- tions on.
 But as to the reliability of that al- leged telegram. It purported to have from Las Vegas, to which place the Rodey telegram was alleged to have been sent. It also alleges that the governor, secretary of the terri sSAe anu NhAtA JuoNlNCs AAilNC OA AuC ! highest officials in the territory "hap- pened" to be present when it was re- ceived, and immediately switched from advocating separate statehood to the endorsement of joint statehood.
 Now do not these circumstances seem very improbable? The offices of these officials are located in Santa Fe. Was it not most remarkable coincident that this illustrious trio should just happen" to be at Las Vegas at the moment that such telegram was received? Such thing might be possible, but it is extremely improb- able and if one takes the trouble to inalyze that press telegram, there is in it sufficient to raise a ioubt as to its reliability.