Arizona republican., 1909-02-28
AR|zONA'S HANDICAP
 VAS FATALLY GREAT
There WiI Be No New States Created by the
 Present Session
The Senate Committee Unable to Stomach New Mexico Decides to Let the House Bill Drop-There Is Wild Proposal to Attach It a Rider-The Governor of New Mexico Invites an Investigation

Washington, Feb. 27.-There will be no statehood legislation for New Mex ico and Arizona at the present session. At a meeting of the senate committee on territories today. all the members, regardless of party, abandoned con sideration of the house bill q
 The members of the committee left the room without any one suggesting further meetings for its consideration This remarkable action occurred at the conclusion of the reading of state ments presented by Senators Nelson and Beveridge, charging corruption. jury bribing and various offenses against certain officials and leaders of what is termed the gang which controls political affairs in New Mex ico."
 Among the statements read was telegram from former Governor flag erman of New Mexico reflecting upon the character of the people in control of the politics of the territory, aud de- claring that these men expect 10 con tinue in power. He referred to them as "freebooters," and said that sixty per cent of the voters were MeXicanS Half that number were illiterate and ignorant, and easily governed by the gang" He suggested that it was well to wait until after the next cen sus before admitting New Mexico.
 Another statement received recount ed the difficulties described by Ormsby McHarg. sent to New Mexico in 1907 as an agent of the department of justice tu prosecute land frauds. The grg thampered in his work by Governor Curry and his attorney general, Judge Fall.
 It is extremely likely that the com mittee on territories will decide to con- duct an investigation in New Mexico before action on the admission bill is taken. Senator Beveridge introduced a resolution authorizing the commit tee to conduct hearings if advisable.
 In some of the communications laid before thecommittee on territories ref erence was made to Rough Rider in fluence," and declared that Governor Curry and a number of others made several trips to Washington to have the agents of the department of jus tice called off when they were inves- tigating the land fraud cases.
 Miss Lawler, a stenOgrapher who assisted in the land fraud cases, made a statement to the committee which indicated that the lives of the government agents were in danger as long as they persisted in the investi- gatiOns. She mentioned several per sons prominent in public affairs in New Mexico in most uncomplimen- taty manner, and cited certain records which, she said, would bear her out in all her statements.
 At a former meeting of the com mittee, one of the democratic senators proposed that all sections of the bill proposing to legalize land grants and bond issues, be stricken out This proposition met with objection and today after the meeting it was said that there was not T single member of the committee who would vote to report the bill.
 There was vitually nS discussion of the bill at the meeting today. The time was wholly consumed by the statements presented. It was recog- nized that whether the statements were true or not, questions have been raised that could not be disposed of at the present session of congress. That being the general view, the members of the committee dispersed and any meeting that is held now will be at the call of Chairman Bev eridge.
 Attention was directed to the land section in the statehood bill several days ago, when Senator Nelson pro- tested to several of his colleagues against the activity of the New Mex ican statehood lobby. in Washing ton. He was opposed especially to the work of Governor Curry, who ap- peared on the floor of the senate in the exercise of the privilege he had as governor of one of the territories.
 At that time Nelson let it be known that unless this activity ceas- ed, he would have something to say about private interests in the mea- sure.