Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-01-17
FUSS OVER JOINT
STATEHOOD BILL
Represen tatives $
Powers and Smith
Quarrel
ABOUT QUESTIONS ASKED
Committee Room in Uproar
Over Affair---Will Change
Manner of Hearings.

two hours today the House committee
on territories and the delegation OF
the Anti-Joint Statehood League Of
Arizona, engaged in "a sparing con
test" which eliminated in a personal
clash between Representative Powers
Of Maine, and Delegate Smith of Ari.
zona, that concluded with an apology
by Smith.
Morrison Talks.
The break came while r. E. Morri.
son of Prescott, Arizona, son of Judge
A. l.. Morrison of Santa Fe, and ex-
U. s. District Attorney, was addessing
the committee.
Chairman Hamilton, Of Michigan,
had asked Mr.. Morrison many ques-
tions about the inadequate taxation of
ln4nes and railroads in Arizona, tC
which Representative Smith objected.
When Representative Powers began
questioning Mr.. Morrison as to the pro-
portion of the Mexican population In
Arizona and New Mexico, Representa-
tive Smith objected.
Representative Powers resented the
interruption and exclaimed: II under
stand fully the sensativeness OF this
delegation concerning these questions,
/ know whom they represent and all
about them"
II have seen enough of this and
denounce the charge as false" Repre-
sentative Smith retorted.
"You may impugne the motive of
the charge but when you impugne my
motives, I shall resist"
Powers emphatically replied Il
shall ask all the questions want to" /"
The committee room was in an up.
roar by this time and after Chairman
Hamilton had called for order, and had
asked the members to be more calm,
Representative Smith offered an apollo
gy, saying that perhaps he was mis-
taken but that Representative Powers
questions had struck him as though
inspired by partisanship and not de-
signed by a desire for information.
On account of the frequent inter-
ruptions by member sof the commit
tee and the promptings and Interrupt
ton by members Of the Arizona dele
cation Mr.. Morrison was unable to
make an extended argument.
Feeling Intense.
The feeling was SO intense and the
hearing so unsatisfactory that the
committee has decided that at, the
hearing to be held tomorrow all the
speakers shall be permitted to COM
plete their arguments before they are
subjected to questions by members Of
the committee. The Arizonians at
the meeting were: Dwight B. Heard,
former governor of Arizona; Roy S.
Goodrich, General A. J. Simpson, N. O.
Murphy, former governor of Arizona;
u. B. O'Neill, Phoenix; G. 0. Randolph,
A. J. Doran, Father Suestao, F. R.
Stewart, Of Prescott; Rev. Charles H.
Shields, of Bisbee; A. J. Chandler, of
Mesa; J. J. Riggs, of Los Cabasa; Lee
Crandall, of Globe; George French,
of Nogales; w. s. Sturgess, of Pima
County.
Bitter Charges Made.
Special to The New Mexican.
Washington, D. c., Jan. 17.-Strong
delegations Of Arizona citizens were
before the house committee on terri
tories yesterday and today and made
arguments against the passage Of the
Hamilton joint statehood bill. They
especially oppose the union Of the Ter
ritories Of New Mexico and Arizona
on account of the Mexican population
of New Mexico and made very serious
charges against New Mexico citizens
Of Spanish descent. The hearing will
be continued tomorrow. It Is the opin.
ion Of those who attended the sessions
of the committee that the Arizonians
hurt their own case by their conduct.
Facts and figures concerning New
Mexicos fitness for statehood and the
character OF her people are being
gathered and will be presented to the
house committee Immediately upon
the closing OF the hearing to the Ari.
zona delegations