Graham guardian., 1906-06-29
SOUNDS THE TOCSIN
Wiley E, Jones Writes an Open
Letter Calling TO Arms the
Friends Of Arizona.
EDITOR GuARprAN:

EDITOR GUARDIAN;
Dear Sir;-Now that the proposed
Joint statehood bill has become a
law, suhiect to Il vote of cur peo,
pie, il is important that every
paper 10 our territory should take
up the work of opposition to
iointure, at once. No time should
be lost, and the battle should be
waged increasingly until election
day. To those who think the fight
is already won, beg leave TO
make a few "observations."
The advocates Of jointure, from
now on, will bend every energy TO
make the majority in favor of it as
large as possible in the territory of
New Mexico, and at the same time,
reduce, so far as possible, the ma
jority against it IN Arizona. Let
us remember the New Mexico law
governing registration and elec-
tions is much different from our
Arizona law, and for want of our
stringent features, she is able in a
contingency like the present, 10
cast much larger vote, proper
tionate to her population than it is
possible in Arizona. This un-
questioned fact confronts us. The
motive of the jointists is obvious.
They desire to point TO the over
whelming vote thus cast for joint
ure by the combined" vote of the
territories, and urge il as a reason
for the next congress to force
jointure upon us. The danger is
not imaginary.
Nearly every paper in New
Mexico, regardless of party, is
open and unceasing in advocacy of
jointure. In Grant county, New
Mexico, bordering upon Graham
county, there are three papers, one
democratic and two republican, all
advocating jointure in every issue.
In Deming, the county seat of
Luna county, the Headlight, a dem
ocratic paper now edited by Geo.
Shakespeare, and for years form
erly edited by ex-senator Ross, is
loud and constant iu advocacy of
jointure, and so it goes throughout
New Mexico.
Last Thursday, the 2lst inst, the
Ne,o MerlcaR of Santa Fe, and the
leading republican paper of New
Mexico. delivered itself as follows:
"Tbe federal Office holders in Ari-
zona will do well to look before
they leap. This in the matter of
the statehood campaign now on in
the two territories. The policy of
the administration in this regard
is we'll defined, and official heads
will roll into the basket in the
sister territory, should the federal
officials there persist in their pres
ent course of opposition to favor.
able consideration by the people,
of the Hamilton joint statehood
bill"
Max Frost, the editorial writer
Of the foregoing, is at the head Of
the republican committee of New
Mexico, and has been an active
leader for years, He has been to
Washington working actively for
jointure, aud who can say that he |
does not thus emphatically voice
President Roosevelts determine
tion.
Reports, whether true or untrue,
inform us that Governor Kibbey |
was summoned to Washington on
account Of his loyalty to Arizona
and for presidential discipline.
The fight IS still going on in all |
its ferceness. No efforts of the
Washington administration will be
spared to achieve its past purpose
and ultimate object,--to force
jointure upon us against our pro.
test. II will not do to assume such |
efforts are futile, and a thing of the
past, or that merely a good |
"healthy" majority in Arizona,
against jointure will put the mat,
ter at rest. The enemy are not
figuring that way.
The campaign Of the jointists is
earnestly going on, and their
quiet, clandestine work is much
more active than their open efforts.
Arizona is to be the dig battle
groSnde--not New Mexivq, where