Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-10-23
MONDAY, OCT, 20, 1905.


The ALBUQUERQUE NitiAcu 10 y H"""
advocate OF joint statehood, not ON
the ground that separate statehood is
impossible, but on the ground that
such a form Is more to be desired THAI
separate statehood. With statehood
conditions az they are at present, we
have nothing but contempt for the
man or the newspaper who would
desert the separate statehood cause II
he prefers separate statehood, but the
Citizens attitude Is entitled to the
respect that Is due to anyone who Is
fighting for a principle In which ne
believes.
The Citizen OF last Saturday devotes
n long article TO the attitude OF the
congressional party that visited the
territory giving particular attention
to the reports Of the u%tterances OF the
party published by this paper.
The Citizen intimates that possibly
The Optics interviews We're colored
by the personal views Of the reporter.
. However. since the reporters In Kan
sas City. Chicago, In fact every place
where the congressman were inter;
viewed. with the sole exception of Al
buquerque, have agreed with The Op.
tics Interpretation Of the n~tterances
Of the distinguished gentlemen u
seems quite possible that The Optic
man was not far astray. Az far as
that goes, the news reports OF the AL.
buquerque papers were accurate
enough. It has been the editorial
writer's who have attempted to per-
suade their readers that the con.
gressmen meant. not what they said,
but what the Albuquerque people
wanted them to say.
The ten members OF the congress
sional party. men very well informed
concerning the affairs Of this coun-
try, men Of marked ability, OF I'M
doubted integrity agree In saying that
the Joint statehood agitation Is keep
ing the territories out OF the union.
The editor OF the citizen denies that
these gentlemen are correct, but there
may possibly be a few New Mexicans
who will agree that the ten con-
gressmen know almost as much about
the attitude OF The national congress
as the editor Of the Citizen.
Congressman Tawney declared to
the Associated Press correspondent
that no move would be made towards
statehood in any form by the present
congress. THAI" he said. has been
decided on Those Albuquerqueans
who believe In joint statehood, may
at least, be willing to admit that We
won't get any form of jointure II Ari
IONA be eliminated from the equation
Congress won't cut off a slice OF Tex
as or Colorado to please our Albu
QuerQue friends.
Congressman Tawney Is a republi
can whip. He stands high In the
councils Of his party. He has been
remarkably reticent about expressing
himself. Yet he stated in Chicago
and in Kansas City that congress
would make no o toward state
hood for Arizona this year. We be
lieve the Congressman knows what he
Is talking about.
The Citizen believes that the In
fluence Of the ten gentlemen In ques
ton will not avail to help the cause
OF separate statehood. And why not!
II Is an u~nassailable fact that the last
senate gave a majority for separate
statehood for New mexico and that
the und0ubtei} majority IN the lower
house were prevented from voting By
the application Of tyranical rules
''There must be fifty-nine republicans
10 prove, false to party fealty, Ia
other words fifsy more than ths. nlns
republicans Who recently visited Ari
! sonk," says the Citizen. OF the last
house II may be said that there were
republicans enough wAo were whining
to be true to themselves and the in,
terests OF the people OF the west to
vote IN the manner they believed
right, II the opportunity had been Of
fered them. We firmly believe there
is still . majority Of the lower house
In favor Of separate statehood. Mr.
Tawney 80 declared and 80 did other
members OF his party. These nine
republicans are likely to have a very
strong influence upon their associates
because they will speak Of the terri
tories with authority. Assuredly they
can gain strength enough to block
any Joint statehood Legislation and
Mr.. Tawney has said none will be at.
tempted.
While the congressman says that nc
move will be made as regards Ari
IONA. he does not say that no attempt
will he made by the present congress
TO secure the admission Of New Mex
leo. AT least seven of the ten con.
gressmen who visited New Mexico