The Socorro chieftain. [volume] (Socorro, N.M.) 1902-1959, 1906-06-30
HON. II. 0. BURSUM
Gives the Las Vegas Optic State
ment Of His Views on the
Statehood Question
IN FAVOR OF JOINT STATEHOOD
New State Will Work Out Its own
Salvation and Overcome Every
Obstacle

Hon. II. o. Bursum, chairman
of the Republican central COM
mittee, and the most powerful
figure in the Republican party
of New Mexico. when asked by
Las Vegas Optic representative
for his views on the statehood
issue, rolls up his sleeves and
goes right to- the heart of the
question:
Il am in favor of accepting
joint statehood rather than re-
main a territory. The friends
of separate statehood have used
every effort to promote the pas
sage of a separate statehood en-
abliug act, but the national con-
gresS has decided otherwise by
offering us jointure. Let us ac-
cept the proposition and the new
state will work out her salvation
and overcome every obstacle in a
manner which will be beneficial
to the people as whole.
The people of this territory
have hoped, PRAYED, petitioned
and fought for statehood and a
voice in the national councils for
more than fifty years. During
all these years the territories
have been a government of bur-
eaucracy with the principal
strings 5000 miles distant from
the seat of action. The domin-
ant spirit ever present in the
heart of every American citizen
will not permit the liberation of
continuance of this sort of gov
ernment, while a change which
will at least provide one-half of
the representation in congress
which we have contended for is
available.
1t is autonomy the people are
anxious for. They desire a voice
and some measure of realization
of a government of the people,
for the people and by the people.
Arizona and New Mexico
should be close friends. They
should meet each other in spir-
it of common interests should
joint statehood be accepted. Let
us be fair and liberal with what
now constitutes our present sis
ter territory. If the proper Spir-
it and good faith is shown with
due Difference for all interests.
many of the seemingly knotty
obstacles may be satisfactorily
overcome. Why not provide in
the constitution a form of dis
trict government of the new
state, making the present Arizo-
ma one district, New Mexico the
other; adopt for each district the
laws as they now stand and give
to each district practically local
government, so far as the same
may be compatible with state
government.
In other words let MS form a
partnership with Arizona with
the understanding that none of
the rights or privileges she now
enjoys shall be taken away; that
she will not be ruthlesSly gov
erned with an iron rod by citi-
zenS of her more populous neigh
Dor. The whole controversy at
present seems to be based upon
the representation we are accord
ed by the bill in the United
States senate. for one feel
that we should have been grant
ed separate statehood and thus
been allowed four votes for Ari-
zona and New Mexico in the sem
ate of the United States. That
controversy for the present at
least, and very likely for some
time to come, has been disposed
OF by congress. 1t is a condition
and not theory that confrontS
us. Shall we continue to be rep
resented by two voteless dele
gates or shall we accept two full
fiedged senators and two mem
bers of the lower branch of con-
gress with authority to make as
much racket as Speaker Cannon?
Which one of these propositions
will best serve the interests of
the great southwest?
IF at any time the discontin-
uance of this partnership should
be deemed advisable by the ma
jority of those concerned we
would at least have some tangi-
BILE chips which might have
some influence in the national
game at Washington"