Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-09-12
SOVEREIGNTY
FOR NEW MEXICO
Governor Curry
Thinks Time Has
Arrived
TO SEE THE PRESIDENT
Will Urge Roosevelt to Favor
Immediate Passage of
Enabling Act.

Governor Curry's position on the
question of statehood for New Mexico
Is well known to the people Of the
Sunshine Territory In his public and
private utterances since his naugura.
ton little over month ago he has
placed himself on record as a cham
pion Of single statehood for New Mex
leo and he Is eXerting his influence to
bring about a favorable consideration
OF such measure at the coming ses-
sion of Congress
The suggestion of Delegate w H.
Andrews to have a constitutional con
vention held in Santa Fe some time
this fall for the purpose of drafting
specimen constitution for the pro.
posed new state is looked upon with
favor by Governor Curry. 1T has
many good features and especially is
saving of time the executive stat
ed this morning, when asked for his
opinion by reporter OF the New
Mexican. IF we can go before Con.
gress with constitution already pre-.
pared and can secure the support cf
the national administration believe
it will have salutary effect
Governor Curry said that he was
anxious to consult with the friends of
statehood throughout the territory be-
fore taking any action toward calling
together the delegates elected last
November for constitutional conven-
tion when the question of jointure OF
New Mexico and Arizona was left to
a vote of the people of the two terri
tories. He is arranging for confer
ence between Chairman Fl. O. Bursum
and A. A. Jones respectively OF the
Republican and Democratic territorial
central committees with a view to
securing their united action in favor
of single statehood. Messrs. Bursum
and Jones have both assured him they
will cooperate in working for state
hood but he is desrous of having
them meet together and talk over
method of procedure
Will See the President
When Governor Curry goes east
two weeks hence to attend the Deep
Water Ways convention at Memphis,
Tennessee, will broach the question
of single statehood with President
Roosevelt, who will be the principal
speaker on that occasion. Governor
Curry stands close to the president
as every one in the territory knows
and 1t goes without saying that If fer
vent prayers will aid him in his mis-
sion New Mexico's new executive will
have some pleasing news to bring
back when he returns to the Capital.
Since President Roosevelt has an
nounced that he would abide by the
voice Of the people of the two terri
tories and no longer insist upon joint
statehood for New Mexico and Ari-
zona, it is believed he will not oppose
a proposition now to have the terri
tories admitted as separate states into
the Union. Discussing the statehood
question while at Trinidad, Colorado.
during his recent tour In northeast
ern New Mexico, Governor Curry is
quoted as saying:
"All of the people of New Mexico
are strongly In favor Of single state
hood and will make strenuous effort
to have a bill admitting New Mexico
to the Union passed at the next ses-
sion of Congress. OF course we expect
Colorado people to help us, as they
have always done. The people Of
Arizona are strongly against joint
statehood"
No Graft in Timber Land Sales
Governor Curry is also quoted in
the same interview as declaring that
there has been no graft in connection
with the sales and disposition of some
of the lands donated to the
territory by the federal gov
ernment. According to his state
ment there has been some irregular
tiles in the sales but the viola
tions were simply technical and the
accusations of wholesale land frauds
were untrue. He said:
"The timber land investigation is
not as essential as the newspapers
have made it. There has been some
irregularity in the selling of these
lands, which the government decided
to the territory, and I am inclined to
believe that it was due to technical
error and not to any intentional graft
believe the matter will be settled
without anybody's character being
seriously hurt"