Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-10-11
4 REPLY 70 Mr.. aopEY.
To the Evening Citizen.

The Las Vegas Optic, In It's account
OF the banquet rendered the visiting
congressman last Sunday night at the
Castaneda did not give an impartial
resume of what took place. The Office
holders took possession Of the con
gressional train at Trinidad and the
friends OF Joint statehood would have
known nothing about It, had It not
been for the courtesy OF Congressman
Tawney, who wired Mr.. ROdey to
meet them at Ration, and the courtesy
OF Mr.. Lathrop, head OF the legal de-
partment OF the Santa Fe railroad
who invited him to dine with and &C.
company the party from Las Vegas to
Albuquerque. Mr.. G. +. Albright also
met the party at Las Vegas, but was
forced to return by No. Z and could
not accept the kind invitation extend.
ed to him.
The Optic does not mention Mr.. Ro
dey. save as merely being present.
Mr.. Rodey, much to the chagrin OF the
ants, was invited to respond to q
toast by Mr.. Tawney, and made what
Is said to have been the speech of the
evening. Mr.. Rodey came out fear
lessly and emphatically In favor Of
jOinture and created a sensation
among the ants: II had more effect
because in what he said about things
In congress every congressman pres.
ent knew he told the truth. Judge
Mills in his talk did not say q word
from which It could be gathered
which sort Of statehood ne favored.
Judge Waldo was the only speaker
who paid his respects to the detract-
ors OF our people, but even he did not
say a word against j0inture. Even
the editor OF The Optic when welcom-
ing the visitors to the Commercial
club did not indicate what sort OF
statehood he was In favor OF save In
the most shadowy way.
IN reply to the above interesting
article, which apparently was writ
ten by Mr.. Rodey himself. the editor
OF The Optic admits beyond question
that in Mr.. Rodey's opinion, Mr.. Rodey
probably made the hit Of the evening.
We said that he was present and to
have said that he talked would have
been superfluous. We might have
said that he distinguished himself by
falling to rise with every other man
present when a toast was proposed to
the governor Of New Mexico. We
might have said that he took occasion
to tell his troubles to the b~anqueters
when a policeman would have been
far more appropriate. We might have
said that he informed the visiting con-
gresham all about the statehood sit
uation in Washington--a matter upon
which they were totally In the dark,
and we might have said that he in
formed his audience that as he had
failed to secure separate statehood
for New Mexico, It would be utterly
useless for anybody else to even at
tempt to get 1t and that II We didn't
accept jointure we would have to
stay out In the cold for a million
years.
The Optic stated that Judge Mills
and Judge Waldo were among the
speakers. The names of Acting Gov
ernor Reynolds, Congressman Tawney
and General Solicitor Lathrop Of the
Santa Fe. each Of whom we're called
upon and responded more briefly than
Mr.. Rodey. we're omitted along with
the name Of the e~x-delegate. Judge
Waldo's remarks were noted especial
~ because, being a man Of few words
his splendid championship Of New
Mexico 1t the banquet was consid.
cred the feature Of the occasion ny
all who were present, and was cob,'
mented upon with great interest by
those who had gathered on the bal
comics to hear the speakers.
As to the failure OF the editor Of
The Optic to indicate what sort Of
statehood he was in favor Of when
welcoming the visitors to the Com
mercial club, We may say that having