The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-12-14

| american ITeeHeH, Out as cOlOny
of slaves or renegades, or as the infer
I ior inhabitants of some unregenerate
island in the middle of the Pacific
Collective civic activity is discouraged
because our real needs aid the gen
eral desire of our people cannot be
appreciated or understood by the
Washington officials two thousand
miles away. They say, BE good or We
will punish you" and by being good
| they mean,-do what we want you TO,
not what you think is best for the peo-
pie of New Mexico. As a rule the
Washington authorities have only a
| spasmOdic and intermittent interest
in our affairs, and that interest is not
directed by any real desire for our
best welfare but by the political exig-
| encies of the momenI ar the National
Capitol. Some of us here fiattered our
selves about a year and a half ago
that Congress was taking a great deal
of interest in the gambling question
in New Mexico. A bill was introduced
prohibiting gambling in the territor-
les and it seemed as if certain United
States Senators were taking the great
est possible interest in it. Its passage
was strongly urged by some Senators
and bitterly opposed by others and it
seemed for awhile TO the animated
that those favoring it were really i'm
bued by a sincere desire to do some
thing for our welfare. But with few
exceptions, such was not the case at
all. All they cared about was what eff
effect it may have on other legislation
point of view. When that Legislation
was out of the way. they had about
as much interest in gambling in New
Mexico as they had in cock-fighting in
old Mexico. Luckily the people of the
territory had sufficient stamina to get
up themselves and do away with the |
curse, but it was not because of but |
in spite of the National Congress and |
the gang politicians in New Mexico. |
Under our present form of govern |
ment the National Congress mas a |
right to accept or reject any or all
bills passed by the territorial legisla
ture They reserve this right, presum-
ably. because it is feared we are not
fit to assume the responsibility of pass
ing safe legislation for ourselves and.
under the system of political !ntimida-
tion and gag rule that has prevailed
here, more or less. for many years
such fear is not groundless. Under a
state government, where each person
has an equal voice in all the affairs
of the state, the pride and independ
ence of the individual citizen would
be so great that it would be much
more difficult for the abuses to exist
that have existed here for so many
years We would not be bound down
and hampered as we now are by fear
of falling into disfavor with any man
political safety and material prosper
ity, for the time-being depends. We
would he citizens, not subjects. But
when, under conditions as they exist.
vicious laws are past do we get any
help from the National Congress?
DUES w dSlllIl9lOu cASlCISt us pO"Cl |
of revision and notification? Do they
manifest any particular interest in
what We are doing, or try to direct us
towards better channels of admins
tration or legislation? Not by any
means. AS far as we know, not more
than four or five territorial laws have
ever been annuled or revised by the
National Congress since a territorial
government has existed here. We nei-
Lher have the benefits that should be
derived from a careful and disinter- ;
ested supervision of our affairs by the {
men who insist in keeping us in :
state of subserviency, nor do we have 8
The good that would result from the {
freedom and consequent re-
sponsibility that would follow our ad- I
mission to the equality upon which {
he American Republic is founded.
In view of all these considerations
md of many others there is no doubt
whatever as to the desire and the {
light of the people of New Mexico to
obtain statehood, and, if there were
my chance OF getting 1t now, 1t might
be worth our while to sacra-
ice a good deal in order to obtain it. {
But what are the facts?
1t is necessary to trace the history
If the various statehood movements
n Washington and New Mexico for
he last fifty years They are we'll
zaown to most of our readers and
hey are well known in the National c
Capitol. Again and again have we ap-
,ealed for admission, again and again,
lfter days and months of valuable
ime have been consumed in speech
making in the halls of Congress. have
We failed to get the boon We so ear
lestly desired and to which we were
- ~