Bisbee daily review., 1906-02-04
NEW MEXICO IS
 OPPOSED TO BILL
Special Correspondent Of ReVeiW Visits Santa Ec--
 Up In Arms
tconcludsd from Page l.,

(Concluded from Page 1) to say about the matter. even though they think they have. They explain that the constitution Is plain. that 1t gives congress the authority to make single states whenever 1t likes. out of any material ct hand. They add that they favor joint-statehood with view of the welfare of future immi- grants to the territories
 There is another toint-statehood measure before congress-one con tempiating the Joining of Oklahoma and Indian Territory. Oklahoma is believed to be entitled 10 statehood alright, but there Is some question as to the fitness of Indian Territory for the honor.
 But the inhabitants of these terri tories are comparatively silent There is not much interest shown in the matter even in the territories.
 The situation is far different in New Mexico and Arizona. Commit tees including one-half the business men of every town have been sent to Washington to do what they can against the measure. A lot more will go. Mass meetings have been held, and they will continue to be held up to the time final action is taken
 The people of the territories are campaigning against the bill. and will fight the battle to the last ditch. That is the kind of people the terri tories have. The causual observer can't help but admire their patriotism, and the spirit in which they work. Why those people wouldn't make the best kind of citizens is not apparent.
 The press, with one or two excep- tions. is fighting hard for either sep arate statehood or a chance for the people to vote on the question
 The people of Albuquerque and the immediate surrounding territory are or would, geographically. be in about the center of the new state, and in all probability would be made the capitol.
 James Graham McNary, editor of the Las Vegas Daily Optic, one of the foremost papers of the territory, made a trip to Washington recently to protest to the President against joint statehood.
 Mir. McNary has clipping from Boston daily newspaper, dated Nov. 1s, 1905, which gave a table showing the places of residence in foreign countries of graduates of the Johns Hopkins Medical School" The terri tory of New Mexico is listed with China, India and Bolivia. and is credi- ted with having one graduate.
 Mr. McNary relates how eastern people write down here asking the rates of duty charged on imports into the United States and travellers get ting of the trains at Las Vegas, Santa Fe and Albuquerque frequently in- quire for the custom house. It is also common for customers. tn passing through New Mexico. to stick cent postage stamps on letters directed to the United States
 Yet these same people undertake the responsibility of expressing opin- iuos on whether we are fit for state hood or not said Mir. McNary.
 Business interests, railroad in- terests mining interests. political in- tcrests, church interests, educational interests. unite in protesting against joint statehood.
 The educational interests include universities, two agricultural colleges. four normal schools. Some of these would necessarily be disrupted and the labor of years overthrown in the consolidating process which would follow. Half of our cities would be forced to give up institutions which our people cherish and which stand for culture, refinement and enlighten- ment in their communities
 Our names, our size, our boundac- les. our rivers and our mountains are good enough for us. We love New Mexico; Arizona is stranger to us, and vice versa"
 There are hundreds of more men in the territories that think as Mir. McNary does Joint statehood Is easily the biggest question the peo- ple of the territories ever struggled with
 If the bill is defeated there will be riotous expressions of patriotism Tn the cities and towns. at the mines and on the ranches
 IT the bill passes-I won't attempt to prognosticate the extent of the dark expression that will follow.