Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-09-12
TUESDAY. SEPT. 10, 1906.
STATEHOOD, AGAIN..

The Optic has received an Invita-
ton TO attend a Joint statehood con.
ference which Will be held In Albu-
QuerQue on September goth. The In.
vitatlon reads ito which yourself and
all friends OF the measure are cor.
daily Invited" From the mutterings
Of the joint statehood boomers which
have reached our ears. because, for
sooth. The Optic did not see lit TO join
them In their present agitation, we
would not have wondered had they
failed to include us among the friends
OF the measure"
However, they have apparently re-
called the fact that The Optic was the
original advocate OF Joint statehood
among the press Of the territory and
advocated the issue with persistence
when we believed the hope Of single
statehood was gone. Subsequent
events revived the hope Of single
statehood, and we straightway fol
lowed what we had believed to be a
lost hope.
During the summer months. how.
ever, we have had infinitely more In
terest In irrigation. dry soil cultiva'
ton, reservoir building, s~anitarium
promotion. railroad boosting and other
matters or vital Importance than We
hayeshad In chewing the rag over q
question which appears to have been
VT entirely with Joe Cannon for ret
tlement. Consequently we have al
lowed statehood to gently rest and
have devoted our space to those mat
tiers which really oncer the bust
ness interests Of Las Vegas and the
readers OF The Optic. We will pause
however. In the discussion Of theys
matters to state that We are mol
among those who like the Bernalillc
county Joint statehood boosters, be
1ieye that Joint statehood Is prefer
able to single; 10 are we like. those
who say give us single statehood OF
give us death" We belong to the
class who think statehood. either joint
or single. will be q benefit and who
believe that when congress has abso
lutely refused to give us what we
know II our right and has offered US
a substitute. that will be time enough
to say that the substitute will be
acceptable.
Az to the conference" which IL to
be held Ia Albuquerque next week. we
would hare much more interest In Il
Il, Il, Ssse ! statehood conference
rather than . "Joint Statehood Con.
ference" The limiting adjective
5oint-,necessar1iy alienatss the inter.
sst * All'thcss' who believe that moth
ing less than separate statehood ID
our right and who. while they might
In an extremity accept Joint state
hood. are unwilling to organize to.
xether to fight for what they con.
sider. 10 be- less than justice. ri
There % . time when we Loaf
hope and sincerely believed that sepat.
ate statehood for New Mexico wal
absolutely out Of the question. Fol-
that reason We urged our readers
10 accept the inevitable and ret to
xether for joint statehood. Since that
%Aeexents proved that We were, NILE
&1kslAtAat We stili had sschancS u
5gcGSIlk separate admission and In
hSt1 missed Il only b. q hairi
breadth. New Mexico secured a mn
oritypf votes In both houses and Wi
NlefeAted because Of an arbitrary exet
else Of power by the arbitrary old ras
cal who occupies the speakers chaiI
--an exercise OF power which should
have brought the blush Of shame Il
the cheek Of every liberty-lovins
American citizen. The claims Of New