The climax. [volume] (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1887-1897, 1890-11-19
A BOLD DEMAND FOR STATEHOOD.

The annual report of Mr.. n. O. Muir
ply, acting Governor of territory OF
Arizona, to the Secretary of the interior
sets forth population, resources and
financial condition of that hot arid and
rocky Territory, not long ago wrested
from the Apaches. Only along the
course of the ella River, which was an
nexed to Arizona by the Gadsden pur-
chase, are there any really good farming
lands, although there are some valleys
between the mountains that are good
stock ranges and are used as such. Min
ing and the raising of cattle and sheen
are the principal occupations. The num-
Der of cattle herded in Arizona is Gal ,Ol6,
Of sheep 80, 23S, but the distance from a
market keeps down prices, the average
value Of cattle being estimated at eight
dollars and thirty cents per head, and
that of sheep at a dollar and a half.
Comparatively speaking there are very
few persons employd in stock-raising,
and with the exception of the local
trades carried on in the only two small
towns in the Territory, the principal en-
ployment is in the mining of gold, silver
and copper. With respect to population
Arizona is not any better than the State
Of Nevada, which sends one Representa-
tive and two Senators to swell the Re-
publican ranks in Congress, and which
had but 62,226 in 1880, and has been
steadily declining since. Gov. Murphy
puts the population of Arizona, accord
ing to the recent census, at 81, 600, which
is an increase, of II, l6O within the last
ten years. The rate of increase, there
fore, has been less than two thousand
year. Of this population 1900 are
MOrmOns. And of Chinese he says,
vaguely, ''there are few in the Territory
as compared with the Pacific States, and
while as yet they cut up a figure as a
disturbing element, they are very OBJ
jectiOnable as a class, and their exclu-
sion is as much desired in Arizona as
elsewhere" There is also "quite a
sprinkling" of Mexicans, but how many
the Government does not say. 1t is not
so much the resources and financial con-
ditiOn of Arizona, although its total
debt is put at three and half millions
OF dollars, which concerns us, at the re-
quest that Governor Murphy makes tc
Congress for an enabling act to author.
ize the Territory to take the necessary
steps to become a State of the Union
His plan is that "unless restrictive
measures are adopted Arizona Territory,
through the increased Mormon ilnmi.
grafton, will become Mormonized," and
he, therefore, asks that Arizona shall be
allowed to become State, to check
mate the MOrmons, and that Congress
take such action as will give Arizona the
protection enjoyed by Idaho. In Other
words, he wants the Idaho test oath ap
piled to the MormOns in Arizona, where
by the latter will become disfranchised
/ unless they vote with the Republican
party, as some Of them did in Idaho a
the last election, when the test oath a,
to them was not required.) As the en-
tire population Of Arizona, according t.
the Governors own showing, is bu
81 900, the DISTINGUISHING Of twelve thou
sand Mornons would leave but $500
from among whom the vote would b,
cast for a member Of Congress and tw,
Senators, or about 10000 counting on
the Chinese.