Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-07-19
STRgIGHT FR0n SHOULDER
ON JOINT STATEHOOD
Talks James J. Hagerman Leading Cit
izen and Pioneer ---Sound, Sensible,
Patriotic Views---Powerful Ar.
gument in it's Favor.

J. Hagerman and wife of Roswell
They are on visit to their son Go
ernor Hagerman and are enjoyin
their stay here very much. Mr.
Walter Farewell, of Chicago, Is wit
them Mrs. Farewell is the wife
wealthy and well known capitals
of the Windy City who is son of tn
late U. s. Senator Farewell Of Illinois
and the owner of the X. |. T. cattl
ranch and range in Texas, which COZ
tains about three million acres c
land. Mrs. Farewell's father an
associates built the Texas state cap
tol and received in pay the broa
acres of land now contained in tn
ranch.
Mr.. Hagerman who Is one Of tn
most prominent, most progressive an
most valued citizens of the Territory
is the capitalist whose enterprise
foresight and financial backing opene'
the great Pecos Valley and southeast
ern New Mexico, now the prosperous
and wealthy counties of Chayes, Edd.
and Roosevelt, to settlement and i'm
migration. The work was commenced
in 1889 by the construction Of a grea
reservoir system in the Pecos Vale!
proper and was supplemented shortly
thereafter by the building Of the Pc
cos Valley & Northeastern and the
Pecos Valley & Northwestern Rail
roads from Pecos City, Texas, through
southeastern New Mexico, through the
counties above named to Amarillo
Texas. Mr.. Hagerman has great In
terest in southeastern New Mexico, II
agricultural land, in apple orchards, II
fruit farms, IN stock ranges and ir
live stock aud is, therefore, naturally
greatly interested in everything tha'
pertains to the advance and progress
Of the Sunshine Territory. He fayori
JoInt statehood and upon thia question
in answer to interrogatives by rep
resentatiye of the New Mexican this
forenoon said:
81 am in favor for joint statehood fol
several reasons and among them are
the following:
you know have not been in favor
of single statehood for New Mexico
at the present time,I think we are
not prepared to meet its duties, re
sponsibilities and cost, nor can / see
that Arizona is more fit for single
statehood than We are, but the two
combined could dasily stand the cost
of it without distress. 1t should cost
little more than half as much to run
one big state as to run two smaller
ones. From the standpoint OF cost
alone | think joihture wise. That is
one reason, but not a conclusive one
Neither territory has surplus OF
men fit to be legislators, state officers
United State Senators and members
of Congress, who would be willing to
give their tine to such duties. There
is always a surplus of unfit men fol
such positions who are ready to take
them.
"Inevitably, for considerable time
there would be some jealousies, some
suspicious, and many regrets at the
necessity for iointure, among some
people in the two grand divisions Of
the new Arizona. Each would wan,
its full share Of the offices. The Ari
zona people would not submit to the
dictation of any New Mexico bosses
nor would the people Of New Mexico
submit to Arizona bosses. This would
I think, result in the friendly rivalry
of the two sections to bring forward
their best men who could command
the support OF boh. 1t would tenc
to the combination of good men fol
good purposes and send the pro
fessional politicians and bosses to the
rear. The new State would be bic
enough to atrtact, las a class, mucf
better men into tho legislature OF the
new state than either territory car
now attract to theirs. This would
work the same as TO Governor, Other
state officers, and members of Con
gress. A good legislature would re
suit in proper men being sent to the
United States Senate.
"The laws Of New Mexico are q
confusing and contradictory tumble
of enactments, just such as one migh1
expect from the conditions which ere
ated them. One of the first duties
of the new Arizona would be to make
practically a rev code of laws tc
conform to the provisions of the new
constitution ami adapted to these
times. Jointure would end the use ol
foreign language and the need o.
interpreters in our legislature and In
all state offices. This would enc
many embarrasments in the conduc1
of the public bisiness and would be
an educational influence of inestim
able value to he Spanish speaking
people themselves.
Joint Statehood Best That Ever Hap
tened.
q believe thatjoint statehood would
be the best thing that ever happened
to them. They like once and thu
power and importance which it brings
The provision b the enabling ac
which makes 1T imperative that ev
cry state officer must be able to reat
and speak English sufficiently vel
to properly traisact the duties o
the Office, would do more to stimulate
English educatiot than anything (per