Bisbee daily review., 1905-12-03
F.M. MURPHY WRITES
 A STRONG LETTER Statehood Situation, He Says, Now Demands Great
 Vigilance

M. Murphy of Perscott, who has been unceasing in his labors against joint statehood, last week wrote the following letter to the Santa Fe New Mexican, which was published in that leading journal of our sister terri tory:
 Prescott, Ariz., Nov. 22, 1905. Editor New Mexican:
 l am very sorry indeed that the congressional party which visited New Mexico and Arizona some time since could not spend more time in New Mexico, but if you could have been present in Arizona you would have been please dto hear the nice things they had to say about your territory. 1 am more than ever con yinced that such of your citizens as are advocating joint statehood have made a very great mistake. T heir efforts are undoubtedly refecting un- favorably upon New Mexico.
 There is not the slightest question in my mind but what before very long Arizona and New Mexico will be ad- mitted as separate states. I think there can be no doubt, however, but what the surrender of few people in your territory to the joint statehood idea has delayed the much cherished and rightful recognition on the part of congress of claims for statehood by each territory. The citizens of New Mexico owe you a lasting debt Of gratitude for the patriotic stand your paper has taken in their behalf TRAITORS TO COMMONWEALTH.
 We have, I am sorry to say, a few people in Arizona that have fallen in with the joint statehood idea on the theory that single statehood is i'm possible for long time to come, and being desirous of obtaining some po- litical prominence, such as they do not now enjoy and never can for any length of time under any conditions, and having also been led to believe, through misrepresentation, that joint statehood for Arizona and New Mex ico is practically assured, they, like some of the citizens of New Mexico, have become traitors to the best in terests of their territories and are apparently willing to sacrifice the long cherished hope and well estab- lished rights of the people for sepa- rate statehood, evidently believing that they can reap some personal ad- vantage by so doing. I am free uc say that in my opinion every man ir Arizona who has taken such a posi- ton has disgraced himself.
 FRIENDLY TO NEW MEXICO.
 l do not believe on the entire jour hey through Arizona the congressmen heard an unfriendly word spoken of New Mexico. I tried very hard, as did many other citizens of Arizona, to get the congressional party to go on their return trip from Albuquerque to Ell Paso, thence over the Texas and Pacific through the Pecos valley, and 1 can assure you that, had it been possible for the congressmen to have done so, nothing would have pleased them more. They were well aware of the fact that they had seen very little of New Mexico and this territory's great resources, and I am sure that II Is their conviction that in due time New Mexico will be admitted as a separate state. We discussed ire quenuy the great development that Is going on in your territory at this time, numerous references were made to the large amount of new railroad construction now under way. the de- yelopment of your great coal mines and the rapid and healthy growth of your population, and l can assure you that the latter was not treated with indifference and sighting reflection, such as was heaped upon botn Ari. zona and New Mexico by the distin. guished senator from Indiana.
 VIGILANCE PRICE OF LIBERTY.
 Personally I do not believe that it is going to be possible for the enc mics of New Mexico and Arizona to succeed in their efforts to pass a joint statehood bill at the coming session Of congress, but it behooves all good citizens of both territories to be on their guard, as gross misrepresenta. tlons are being made, in order to i'm press upon eastern senators and con gressmen that there is a growing sen. timent in Arizona and New Mexico favorable to the unrighteous union that they would force upon us. Yours very truly, F. NJ. MURPHY.
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