Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-06-28
PREDICTS DEFEAT
FOR STATEHOOD
Former Governor
is Opposed to
Jointure.
ARIZONA TO KILL MEASURE
Prescott Statesman Says Vote
Will Be Forty to One
Against Project.

EAA&AAAASS
Ex-Governor N. Oakes Murphy OF
Arizona was in Santa Fe today on
his way home to Prescott, Arizona,
having arrived from Las Vegas last
evening and having been at Albu-
querque on Tuesday. The ex-gov-
ernor strongly repelled the insinuation
that he was here to talk politics or
even to look into the subject, but II
he is in earnest, he came to the wrong
place, for Santa Fe has been satur-
ated the past week or two with dis
cussions of the statehood question,
and it's relation to politics.
The session of the Territorial Su-
preme Court has brought together not
only the six judges of this court, who
take some interest in the statehood
fight, but also many attorneys and ac-
tive politicians.
The first official step taken yester-
day by Governor Hagerman in call
ing together the committee to appor'
tion New Mexico into districts for
the delegate election to the proposed
constitutional convention seems to-
have opened the campaign, although
his speech at Ration several weeks ago
was the first blast from the campaign
trumpet.
Center of Discussion.
It was quite natural, therefore, that
Governor Murphy was the center OF
animated discussion, not on the con-
dition of the cattle ranges in Arizona,
or on the state of the money market
in New York, but on the statehood
question, and despite his denial OF
interest In politics at present, the ex-
governor of the neighboring Territory
managed to express himself very fore
IDLY upon the question at issue.
1t seems significant, too, that ne
should stop day in Santa Fe, even
though it was only to put his ear
to the ground to listen to the first
signs of the earthquake that is pre-
dicted for November 9Th. Strange tol
say, he was as popular among Demo-
cratic politicians last evening as he
was among Republicans. In fact, ne
seemed to be drawn to the former by
some bond of sympathy, which may
be more apparent later on in the his
tory of the two neigh5oring common
wealths.
TO Be a Fair Fight.
Ex-Governor Murphy told repre-
sentative of the New Mexican that
Arizona would fight it's own statehood
battle; that it would not attempt, in
fact, does not dream of attempting
to influence New Mexico in its de-
cision on the statehood question. He
added significantly that Arizona would
certainly resent any interference from
the outside, be it administration pres
sure from Washington or meddling
by New Mexico, such as he ascribed
to Judge B. S. Rodey and Attorney
W. B. Childers in coming over to Ari-
zona some time last year to create
joint statehood sentiment.
"But," he continued, "I do not be-
lieve that the national administration
will exert any pressure to coerce the
people of Arizona to vote for joint
statehood. l know that President
Roosevelt will honor us more for
standing up for what we conceive to
be our rights than he would for yield
ing to considerations of patronage or
fear of administration wrath.
Forty To One Against.
ARIZONA will vote forty TO one
against statehood under the condi.
tions offered, and I, for one, will fight
the measure tooth and nail. Both
great parties will unite in their plat.
forms in protesting against jointure
with New Mexico. Every Territorial
and county candidate will be pledged
against the act, and every county,
with the exception, perhaps, of Apache
County. will adopt resolutions similar
in tenor to those Of the Territorial
conventions. Yes, joint statehood will
be overwhelmingly defeated in Ari-
zona-that is, If there is no change
In sentiment during the next two
or three months" he concluded,
guardedly.
Governor Murphy promised that he
would resist any tendency in the
night against joint statehood, resolv-
ing itself into an attack upon New
Mexico. He admitted that the two
Territories have too many interests
IN common, and that It Is too profit.
able to be good neighbors to imperil
cordial relations by injudicious at
tacks by the people Of Arizona upon
the people Of New Mexico, and he is
certain that the leaders OF both par.
ties will discountenance all appeals to
race prejudice.
Says It Is Mistake.
Governor Murphy believes that 1t
will be a serious mistake on the part
of New Mexico to vote for joint state.
hood, although he does not want his
opinion to influence a single New .
Mexican voter. The prediction that
New Mexico would be admitted to
statehood in 1907, If 1t gave rousing
majority for the joint measure this
fall, he believes to be without foun.
dation, but he does believe that both
Territories will be admitted as sep (
Continued on PAGE EIaht.)