The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-21
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Ex-Delegate Rodey of New Mexico
Confesses Having Placed Him
self Under Obligations.

Washington. jan. Bob. r. Rodey,
former delegate TO congress from New
Mexico. created a furore at todays
hearing on the Joint statehood bill be-
lore the house committee on territories
by announcing that corporate interests
in Arizona had suppressed public opln-
ion in favor of joint statehood and de-
cIared that a popular vote on the ques-
ton would show a decided majority in
favor of the admission Of Arizona and
New Mexico as one state. There nave
been intense prosecutions in Arizona,
Mr.. Rodey declared. Special interests
have perpetrated outrageous and scan
dalous suppression of public opinion
for the last six months. Thousands
favor Joint statehood who do not dare
to say So
Arizonans Protested.
The members of the Anti-Joint State
hood league who were In the commit
tee room united in a protest against
the statements, but in response TO the
cbOr,4s of mo- mo" from the Arf-
zonans. Mr.. Rodey declared that the
corporation forces who are opposing
the Joint statehood measure do not
dare to submit the joint statehood
proposition to the people Of Arizona
Mr.. Rodey was repeatedly interrupt
ed by questions from members OF the
committee and by heated arguments
designed to bring out the attitude Of
the administration on statehood.
Asked to Be Excused.
Representative Lloyd (MissourD
asked Mr.. Rodey if it were not true
that the president and speaker OF the
house were forcing the joint statehood
Issue. Mr. Rodey asked to be excused
from answering this question and
Chairman Hamilton (Michigan) init
mated that the Democrats were being
forced by their organization to oppose
the bill.
Representative Moon (Tennessee) in
terrupted the argument to say:
ct object to the gentleman from
Michigan and the gentleman from Mis-
scuri having this fuss here when in
private they express opposite opin-
ions"
Talked of Taxation.
Mr.. Rodey described the system Of
taxation in both New Mexico end Ari-
iona and said corporate influences
have been draining both territories and
holding down their taxes. Under joint
statehood, he said, the people Of the
two territories could unite and curb
these influences and prevent their pub
lie domain from being stolen He pro-
nounced the denunciation of the Mexi-
can population in New Mexico as ridi-
culous and said the Mexicsns were re-
ligfous and law-abiding and in no sense
a menace to the welfare Of the pro-
posed state.
Shameless Confession.
In answer to questions from Repre-
sentative Moon, Mr.. Rodey made de-
tailed statement of how corporate IN
fluences get control OF territorial gov
ernments, which are dominated by fed
era} officeholders. He frankly said
that he and Delegate Smith and other
1veIl-knoWn men ride on railroad passes
and place themselves under obligations
to the companies. Under statehood, he
said, governors would be responsible
directly to the people and the public
demand for increased taxes on corpor-
ate interests would be respected for
political reasons.
Mr.. Rodey's speech closed the state
hood hearing before the house commit
tee.