Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-10-09

The congressional party WHICH spent
yesterday evening in Las Vegas Is head.
ed by Hon. JAS Tawney, represent
alive from Minnesota and one Of the
republican leaders OF the House. In
response to the request OF an Optic
representative Mr.. Tawney made the
following statement concerning the
significance of the trip through New
Mexico and Arizona: In July, to-
gether with several Of my colleagues,
made trip TO Arizona, at which
time Mr.. Frank NJ. Murphy of Pres
colt invited us to accompany him
through Arizona and New Mexico,
which invitations we accepted. But be.
fore We got started one of our number
received word of the illness of his
daughter which called him home and
pre-. .ented our taking the trip at that
time. We told Mr.. Murphy that we
expected to be out In this section of
the country again in October and he
asked me IL would not invite some
Of my colleagues in the house to come
along and he would make all neces-
sary arrangements for our transpor-
tation and entertainment.
Upon my return TO the east corre-
sponded with number of members
and found that they would be glad to
take the trip. accordingly accepted
the invitation Of Mr.. Murphy. and
here we are. The presence of this
party at this time is simply the re-
suit of our failure to take the trip
planned earlier in the summer.
Naturally, we are taking advant-
age OF the opportunity o1ered to ac-
quaint ourselves with conditions bear
ing upon the question which is upper
most in the minds OF the people of
the two territories, and upon which
we will have to pass judgment in
congress. The trip is purely volun-
tary on the part OF every member Of
the party. We. are not committee
appointed by any body and we have
no authority from congress or any
other source to make any investiga-
tions and will have no official report
to make.
"Yes, you may say we are on a
pleasure trip, but this is combined
with the interest every member has
in acquainting himself by personal
observation and contact with the peo.
pie as to the exact conditions which
exist and the attitude Of the people
toward the question of statehood.
Speaker Cannon was very anxious
to accompany us and intended to dc
80 until the day before we started
when he found It would be impossible
to cancel an engagement he had to
preside at the inauguration Of Prof.
James as president Of Illinois State
University.
ALSO q number of other members
who had accepted the invitation to
join the party found 1t necessary to
give 1t up at the last minute.
mo, do not care to make any
statement as to the statehood situa.
ton. We are not here to talk. In
fact. one of the conditions Of our ac'
ceptance OF the invitation was that
there be no public functions Of any
kind at which the members would be
called upon to express their opinions
upon the statehood question. Many
representations have been made af
fecting conditions in both territories
which bear upon the question Of theil
admission to statehood and the object
OF our trip is to inform ourselves as
to the correctness of these representa-
tions as best we can In the time al
our disposal with view to guiding
our future actios."
The special train bearing the mem
bers of the congressional party who
are making a tour of New Mexico and
Arizona, pulled into Las Vegas yester
day evening promptly at 6 o'clock
, The party, which was headed by
Hon. J. A. Tawnev. member OF con
gress from Minnesota, was composed
as follows:
Hon. J. A. Tawney. NJ. c., Mime
sofa: Hon. c. r. Davis, NJ. G., Mime
sofa: Hon. III. Steenerson, NJ. c.. Min
nesota: Hon. Thomas Marshall. M. c.
North Dakota: Hon. Herman p. Goe
gel. M. c., Ohio: Hon. Martin B
, Madden. NJ c.. Illinois: Hon. n. l.,
1 MAYNARD. NJ. c., Virginia; Hon. II. G
Adams. NJ. c.. Wisconsin: Hon. f
s. Minor. NJ. c., Wisconsin,; Hon
Mark Smith of Arizona; Hon. Henr.
Casson, sargeanf al arms, house o
representatives, F. p. Fellows. secre
tarv TO Y. A. Tawney; V. l.. Masor
of New York City; Colonel Rutherfor,
Towhridge of Boston, J. n. Caring
ton of Boston.