Bisbee daily review., 1908-01-29
LITTLE FAITH IN PROMISE ID
 NEW MEXICO
A Leading Republican Paper Calls Attention To Film Flam Statehood Game Being Play ed By Administration.
Arizona Republican,

A Washington dispatch yesterday morning stated that assurances had been given representatives o- New Mexico. that at the short session of the present congress, that territory would be admitted to statehood in consideration of a cessation oT pres ent activity in that direction blythe people of New Mexico.
 The dispatch does not state by whom this assurance was given, but as there is only one person in Wash ington who presumes to promise leg islation or threatens to withhold it, we assume that the president has been in conference again with the New Mexican representatives.
 We hope that the promise. will be carried out, for as we have often said there are more reasons than on.s wny we should like to see New Mexico ad- mitted whether Arizona is or not.
 But if this promise to New Mexico is worth any more than many others that have been made to it's people in the same relation, there is in it an instance of great injustice to Ari- zona. In point of wealth, in the mat ter of taxation, in the need of people to develop it's Tar superior resources, this territory has stronger claims to admission than New Mexico has. Any distinction that may be made be tween the territories as aspirants for statehood arises from the cheapest kind of politics and the pettiest sort of personal revenge.
 The thing especially desired by those who are juggling in Washing ic the control of the delegations from the territory, to the national repub- hcan convention. That has been a burning question for the last two years and every move with reference to the territories has been made with that end in view. Two years ago Governor Hagerman was appointed to bring a particularly strong New Mexican political ring into subjectiun. The worst offense of the ring was not it's corruptness but its antagon- ism to the administration. Hagar- man succeeded to a arge extent in cleaning the Augean stables but in doing so it was developed that the opposition was in control of the re- publican political machinery of the territory. The president was given
  ing the hands of Hagerman and lose control of the territory, or to abandon Hagerman to his enemies. He prompt ly did the latter in characterisucal- ly butal manner.
 Still, the control of New Mexico was not assured; there was the strong statehood sentiment to be appeased. Last fall, the president sent for G0Y- ernor Curry and it was immediatsly thereafter announced by the Asso ciated Press that the president r>r.fa endeayor to put statehood Dill through the first session of congress. This was afterwards modified by the statement that the president would do his best, but that he had little hope of accomplishing statehood be- fore the short session. The dispatch of yesterday morning is of the same tenor; the date of the fulfillnrenu U4 the promise is carried beyond the time for choosing delegates.
 How has Arizona been dealt with? Arizona forcefully rejected the presi- dential will in the matter of joint statehood and so incurred the presi- dential displeasure. Yet Arizona vii, have delegates in the national con NcULlOD dnQ ATlZOnd TStuSulDSTS IlfS bitter fight 1t had with MT. Roosevelt, the stubbornest of all it's enemies
 Soon after the president sent for Governor Curry, he sent for Governor Kibbey. The result of that confer ence was not heralded by teIegi apn, |, there was no promise of statehood. After the return of Governor Kibbey he gave out an interview in which 1t was substantially stated that uar | president had been so kind as to mod | fly his displeasure toward the way ward Arizonans, to the extent that he would not insist further on joint statehood but in the dim future, not | in the present congress. he would do what he could for statehood.
 this slender and conditional promise the Governor was sent back and was expected to construct before the Arizonans lovely image of pres ! idential benevolence before which they should cast their votes for dele gates to the national convention. ---O--------