Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-11-21
the STATEHOOD CAMPAIGN

There can he No d"'ah' that the I'm.
toTity Of the people og Las VEGAS like
almost all Of the citizens of Las We.
gas do not approve Of the useless and
wasaefal idea Of holding = convection
10 adOpt a statehood constitution this
q bur almost all Of the people at
the territory. regardless of politics. do
want 10 keep up the fight fur state,
hood.
We have interviewed quite a num'
Der u Las vegans On the subject aud
they r practically 0f a mind:
'.Dont le tns divide our efforts or ~x,
pend our energies and money ~us"lessly
In framing u statehood constitution %
Last year the Indian Territory tried
the experiment and u failed. A con
stitution for q separate state was ad-
opted, A strong committee was sent
10 Washington and an attempt was
made 20 secure the ratification OF the
constitution. Not even u hearing In
congress eould be obtained. II con
gEess Is ready 10 consent TO the separ
ate admission Of New Mexico. 1t will
consent Just a. quickly IL W. have MOI
adopted a constitution.
A Las Vegas citizen. u. e. Win,
teTs. has suggested q plan for a state
hood campaign that strikes MS a. ex.
cellcnt.
Let us o attempt 10 hold a con.
s%tituti0naI convention" he said, but
lat the delegates elected organize an
a statehood committee. A short meet.
Ing can be held In Santa fe during
the session Of the Legislature TO map
out a plan of campaign and 10 devise
ways aud means for carrying on the
fight. Let the delegates elected for
each county organize an n county com.
mittee to carry on the work locally
and cooperate with the territorial
committee.
Let these committees devote all
their energies 10 raising money TO car
ny the war TO Washington. There IL
where we raj accomplish results now,
not In Santa Fe. We should send from
thirty to fifty of our best men Ia
Washington 10 make an aggressive
fight for us before the i,ext congress.
II the Legislature can sec It's way clear
10 appropriate a small sum for this
work, SO much the better, hut this la
n matter that interests all the people
and IL Il large number Of small sub,
scriptions can he secured from lndi-
vfduals. the right kind Of a Washing
ton lobby a be maintained"
This IL good advice. Despite th"
small majority given for delegate. the
county returns and the make up OF the
legislature show that the territory Is
overwhelmingly republican. A demo.
cratic state has just been admitted
Congress Is republican, the admins,
tration Is republican. And. without
doubt. the administration and the re-
publican majority feel considerable
ptque at the attitude Of Arizona. II
will 10 only natural for the republican
majority to be anxious to adopt mea-
snrcs that will offset the admission Of
Oklahoma.
II We can maintain n strong lobby
in Washington. results can be accom-,
plished. We want men Who have. indi,
Nidual influence with congrexsmen
men who will bc able TO answer the
ISLANDERS uttered against New Mexico,
ne who can satisfy the mind OF O
greNs as to our resources, our people.
our progress and our future. men who
can demonstrate that New Mexico can
be depended upon to remain in the re-
publican ranks II congress can be
induced to make the admission Of New
Mexico a party measure. statehood is
gained.
Let us try for once the conCcntra,
tion Of our efforts at the national cap
ital. where the power lies. Let us
first induce congress to admit us and
then adopt. the hest Kind of h conSti,
tuition.
The Octopus Is putting itS feet into
it to such an extent these DAYS. that