Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-12-02
HERBERT HAC.
!. ERMAN' Sv|EWS
ON STATEHOOD
Favors Joint Statehood IL /, Can
Be Secured on Terms Fair
10 Both Territories.
Believes \ viii be Long Time Before
Separate Statehood Would be Grant.
ed TO New Mexico and Arizona

ROSWELL. december y.--ln the KOS
well Daily Record Of yesterday, Her.
bert j. Hagerman. recently appoint.
ed governor OF New Mexico, WAS In
terviewed as follows:
II am In favor Of the Joint state.
hood Of New Mexico and Arizona, II Il
can be secured on terms which are
fair and equitable TO both territories.
II seems to me that the time has
come. when the long agitated state
hood question should be settled.
Its agitation for many years has
done New Mexico great HARM" he
continued. by creating an unsettled
state OF feeling. prejudicial alike to
our political and material interests.
To hsve the question properly set
tied once for all will do vast and far
reaching good. The people would
know what their permanent political
future Is to be. and they would reso-
lutely vet themselves to work to ad-
just themselves TO It. The new state
would be large enough and have a
sufficient population TO command the
respect OF the people In other states.
It would call out the energies OF
the best men, and II would be the
beginning OF new and better life In
political, social. educational and In
dustrial affairs.
The facts and reasons favoring
jointure are In their nature perma-
nent. They look to the long future.
They have their roots deep down. In
|good reason. and are based on condi-
tions a. they naturally exist. think
that the main question before Us.
namely. VIII joint statehood with Arr
x0na be for the ultimate good Of both
territories?' cannot be properly dis
cussed without eliminating from 1t all
considerations Of local. sectional,
personal and transient character. The
main issue has frequently been OBJ
scured by some Of the advocates OF
jointure by digressions into person
alities, as 1t has likewise been oh
scured- -by some Of the advocates OF
1lingle statehood arguments which
at bottom are purely local. Such
discussions serve only p confuse the
minds Of people who are tjhly seek
Ing such light on the subject as will
enable them definitely and :correctly
to make up their minds. After eltnii-
mating these questiQns there Is still
a chance for an honest difference Of
opinion, but / believe. when consider
ed from the broad standpoint Of our
best future welfare. majority Of the
people in this territory will declare
In favor Of jointure, II congress gives
them an opportunity to do 80. Because
Of the larger opportunity which Joint
statehood would give us and the
higher and broader duties which II
would force upon Us. the difficulties
incident to the change would soon be
forgotten and we should quickly ad-
just ourselves TO the opportunity to
become a worthy member In the fam
ily Of great and influential states.
We must not forget that single state
hood for either New Mexico or Ari-
zona Is extremely improbable for =
long time to come. How long they
would have to wait. II joint statehood
is not secured. No man can tell. The
reasons for this It Is not necessary
TO discuss. II Is enough to know
that they exist, and that nothing that
we can do now will change them. IL
single statehood would be linquestion-
ably better for us In the long run.
then We ought 10 wait as long as ne
cessary to secure 1t. But II seems TO
me that joint statehood Is not only
better in itself, judged from the
standpoint of the future, but that II Is
the only change from our present
status which is possible, or. at least.
probable under present conditions. II
a joint statehood bill Is passed by
he next congress, and II It is signed
by the president, and II II Is fair and
liberal in its terms. then ! think It
ought to be cheerfully accepted by the
people of the two territories. Its
discussion and the formation Of
under its terms ought TO
be kept free from all considerations
of merely local and personal impor-
lance. The people should inform
themselves fully and should settle the
question themselves. in their own
way. by their free votes, honestly