The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1906-10-08
TO WATCH VOTES
AT ELECTION
Governor Hagerman Urges That Joint
Statehood and Anti-Jointure
Men Be at Polls.

New Mexican.
Governor Hagerman who returned
yesterday from Albuquerque said this
morning that he had received a copy
of the letter sen to Governor Kibby
of Arizona by President Roosevelt
urging thai joint statehood represen
tatives be placed at the polls as well
as anti-jointure men, to watch the bal
lots cast for and against the meas
ure at the coming election. In keep
ing with tine Presidents desires as
expressed in the letter, the Governor
his morning began sending u the
following letter to county commission
ers n other county officials of the
Territory:
Gentlemen:-Inasmuch as the Ques
ton of joint statehood for New Mexi.
co n Arizona is not only local, but
national in it's import and because OF
the fact that tine official returns OF
the vote pom this question must be
certified to the authorities at Wash
ington, there to come before them for
official action, it is especially incum-
BEN upon all the officials of the Ter
ritory of New Mexico who will be con
cerned in any manner with the can
vassing of the returns in the forthcom
ing election to use every effort within
their power to see that the returns of
such election are counted openly and
with absolute fairness.
The Statehood question which is
tt be voted upon at the coming cleo
ton is one of such supreme impor-
lance to the whole country and to the
national administration that any ir-
regularities in the counting of the
votes, which could in any way bring
into question the validity OF the cleo
ton would be a national disaster.
While there is no reason to believe
that the election on the statehood
question will not be carried on abso-
lutely fairly in all parts of New Mex
leo, it is our duty, in order to avoid
all possible future criticism, to see
thai every ~precaution looking towards
a fair counting of the votes should be
adopted.
section 1927, of the Compiled Laws
of 1897, provides: "That it shall be
the duty of the county commissioners
days previous to an election to
appoint three judges for each precinct
shall be persons of discretion and
good character"
In conformity with this provision
of law and with the above considera-
tics. it appears to me advisable to sug
gest that in making the appointments
Judges and clerks for the fOrthcom
election, the county commission
ers should appoint persons who will
both sides of public op1n-
ion upon the joint statehood question;
that is to say, some who are known to
favor the proposition n others who
are known to oppose the same. Fur
thermore, 1 would deem it advisable
the official proclamation for the
election should contain not only, an
but also an urgent request
to the voters in the several precincts
that persons of opposite opinions up
On hi subject be present at n time
place where h votes are canvas
ed. in the several precincts, and also,
hat citizens of different opinions be
present at the session of the commits
toner's at which the returns Tor the
county are canvassed and certified.
1t will be by means such as ms
that we will convey to the people OF
this Territory, to those of Arizona,
to the authorities at Washington, and
to the nation at large, he fact that
people of New Mexico eEev In
an honest ballot and a fair count up
on all public questions.
Respectfully yours,
H. ]. HAGERMAN,
Governor of New Mexico.