The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1906-07-25

due to its Territorial form, but to
things for which the people of New
Mexico are themselves entirely to
blame. Single statehood would not
icure these evils, but might easily
make them worse. You cannot change
a mans character by changing his
coat.
IF we must go on a while longer
with u present form of government
what we need, as a sinner needs sal
walton, is a legislative assembly
which will be controlled only by an
honest desire to do it's full duty to
the people who created it. 1t should
be neither the DOL nor the dupe of
any gang. 1t should thoroughly dis
cuss every proposed law before pass
ing it and not TAX it ready-made
from any self constituted steering
committee. Such committees or gangs
have more than once practically usur
ped the functions of our legislative
assembly, 1t should cut off every use
less Office; it should see to it that
every ola which it votes out of the
public treasury be honestly and use
fully expended and publicly accounts
ed for in detail to it's owners, the
people.
IF sucn a legislature as this could
be secured several times in success
sion. it would do more to convince the
President and the Congress tina New
Mexico is fit for statehood, than all
the misleading n bombastic truck
which our over Jealous statehood
boomers nave been firing at
for the last twenty years. 1t would
also convince and secure the help of
those men in New Mexico who have
heretofore opposed single statehood.
The people want better government,
but how a they ever get it until
the source of it, the law making pow
er, the controller of the public purse,
is honest, competent and independent
of any gang?
Il believe New Mexico should vote
for joint statehood by a good major
ity, first, in the hope that Arizona
will do likewise and that the long
struggle will be ended; second, be
cause it will do New Mexico much
good in the congress-, even if Ari-
iona votes no"
Majority May not Mean Statehood.
Some people say hat they think
that a rousing favorable majority here
would result in statehood for New
Mexico Immediately. They imagine
a majority in Congress will pat New
Mexico on the back and say: Good
boy, you voted for what we knew you
wanted and what you have been say
ing for forty years, and what we
have repeatedly refused, because we
did not believe you did deserve it, but
now we will give you the sugar plum
whether you deserve it or not That
is all moonshine in my opinion.
"The Majority in congress is con-
trolled by good reasons and not by
sentiment. Nothing has sufficiently
changed in New Mexico for the better
since the last proposition for single
statehood was defeated, as to give any
reasonable nope for a different result
now, should we apply for admission.
large majority in favor of jointure
would be likely to help US in this way
We could with good reason say to o
gress: You will not let us try to
govern ourselves because you think
we are unfit to do it. You say we
must vastly reduc the percentage of
illiteracy, get more people, more
wealth, have better legislative assem-
blies, more thoroughly AmericaniZo
ourselves, get rid of the need of in
terpreters in our public business and
make the English language domi-
nant everywhere" We admit that
we must do as you say, and wait for
statehood until you say we can safe
~ assume it. Now help us; give us
| some of the land, some of the pro-
ceeds of the sales of public land and
some of the money you offered to the
proposed new state of Arizona for the