Arizona silver belt., 1906-07-12
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER

Ine pHcSiUcNI Lc icn
 The publication of what purported to be the full text of letter written by the president to Dr. Mark A. Rodgers of Tucson, secretary of the Arizona Statehood association, urging the ac- ceptance by the people of Arizona of joint statehood with New Mexico, aroused a good deal of indignation among those opposed to jointure-who number ninety per cent of the people of Arizona and lead to an investigation which has disclosed the fact that the joint statehood conspirators had mutil- ated the president s letter, thereby plac- Ing him in very bad light before the public.
 The letter of the president, in its garbled form as published, conveyed the impression that it was the spon- taneous utterance of the chief execu- tive and that he was actively engaged in proselyting for the joint statehood cause, contrary to every sense of pro- priety and the assurance given by him at the time the Hamilton bill was signed. It was inconceivable, there fore, that the president should have so acted, and the denouement sustains this belief and exposes the despicable methods of the joint statehood cabal. The letter of the president has now been published in full, also the letter of Dr. Rogers, which called it forth. Dr. Rogers letter voicing the execu- tive committee of the statehood asso- citation, suggests to the president the propriety of removing from office or silencing those holding federal posi- tions in Arizona who oppose jointure- no doubt having two objects in view; first, getting rid of officials who hold honor above personal interest and whose opinions carry weight with the people, and second, the creation of va cancies in the federal service to which they themselves hoped to be appointed.
 What high opinion the "executive committee" must entertain of the president to think for an instant that he would stoop to aid them in their disreputable scheming. The answer of the president disabused their minds on this point, but they were still too dis sembling to publish all that he had said, but gave out that portion of the letter only that expressed the presi- dents approval of joint statehood. That part of the presidents letter suppressed, which was really rebuff for the officious executive committe, reads as follows:
 '1 have your letter of the 23d pro- testing against certain federal officials taking part against statehood in the pending campaign in Arizona.
 'I do not desire to coerce the action of any man in Arizona, whether he does or does not hold my commission. The federal officials are to have the same right as any other citizen to ex- press their sentiments and vote as they choose, though, of course, they are not to use their offices so as in anyway to control or influence the popular vote. Subject, however, to this last qualifica- tion, their right to speech and action is untrammeled-just as much so as with any private citizen"
 The president might well have ex- pressed in more vigorous language his disapproval of the suggestion contained in Dr. Rogers letter to coerce federal officials, but the rebuke has not been without it's effect, and Dr. Rogers and the executive committee of joint state hood boosters have not helped their cause.