Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-03-27
A Fair Statehood View
francis 6, Tracy Of the peeos Valley
Writes Thus Fairly to the New York Sun.
On the Statehood Question.

To an unprecedented American citi.
zen, resident In New Mexico for the
past sixteen years, not active in poll
tics but striving earnestly TO keep
alive to the best interests OF his com.
munity and Of his country. the pres
| ent struggle over the state
hood bill seems just a little bit pitt.
full and a big bit nauseating.
In the first place the active manage
ment OF this bill. of vital importance
to at least a million American citizens
and Of serious moment to the whole
nation. has been left to a very talented
young man who takes nothing so so.
riously in the universe as himself.
Apparently, success has seemed to
him far more important than Impair.
TALLY, and his colleagues. both those
in opposition and those in support,
have not thought 1t important or even
worth while to combat this attitude.
but have readily fallen into line.
The statehood bill ought to fail.
because 1t has 10 been honestly and
fairly presented upon its merits, but
has been bolstered up with specious
argument. founded upon mi%srepresen-
teton and misinformaticn. Why can.
not our senators and representatives
present this question fairly and truth
fully? Upon what theory of states
manship Is it right to have made a
senatorial Siamese twin OF the propos-
| ed new states of Oklahoma and Ari-
iona and to decree that they cannot
be separated before translation into
the heavenly kingdom OF statehood
without putting both indiferently in
i limbo? There is no opposition to the
admission of Oklahoma. There Is No
doubt about her right. No senator
| dares challenge 1t. 1t Is not then an
outrage that already she should have
been refused and that her chances
should be again put in jeopardy be-
cause Of an unholy union with a bas-
tard twin?
For there are two sides to the state
hood question for Arizona and New
Mexico; two sides both for lis who live
there and for the nation at large.
Therefore, let everyone who has the
right have also the opportunity TO vote
upon the merits of the case. in o n
gress and in the territories.
The people Of the United States,
through their representatives and sem
ators. have the right, because they
have the power, to say that Arizona
and New Mexico must come in as one
state or not at all There Is a strong
and legitimate argument against too
great representation In the senate for
too small a population. provided We are
prepared to admit that in our theory
OF government population should have
anything to do with the senate.
1t is argured that 1t Is easier to buy
a small state than a large one. TO
this It may be replied 1t Is easier to
buy and control Two men than four.
presume 1t will not be disputed that
neither New Mexico nor Arizona as a
separate state could be any less re-
specially represented in the senate
than are some other states OF truly
magnificent size and population. There
Is a strong argument with US In favor
OF single statehood In that the cost
Of government would be less and
there would be fewer politicians to
support. Our senatorial friends need
not dwell upon this argument; their
actions speak loud enough. West Of
the Mississippi we need to be shown
only once:
The serious question With US Is the
great size Of the proposed state; the
inaccessibility Of great portions Of 1t:
the difficulty Of communication and
the lack Of hornogeneousness In the
population. 81
II live In southeastern New Mexico
can. reach Chicago easier and only .
few hours later than | can reach San
ia re.. The cost Is about the same
We of eastern New Mexico know ,poth
ing about the people of Arizona ami
!, they know nothing about US and
Judging from press indications, car
considerably less. live in Pecos val
ley, the great American settlement .
the territory. where the population
has been doubling annually for seevr
al years. This is the part of the ter
ritory that Senator Beyeridge and hi
colleagues passed through In tn
night. There are more than loo mile
OF irrigated farms, vineyards. tn
greatest flowing artesian wells I
America. IL not In the world: tw'
great government irrigation projects
practically oil Of this growth bein
since 1901, and the promise Of . poi
ulation as dense as that Of souther
< California. And Senator Deverids
would not stop to look az II. lest III
argument against the future growt
of our territory could not be base
.uc. xha naoaua ~ fon0 In tho var