Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1891-11-11

political party that will give Ari-
 zona statehood. Fellow citizens,
 cannot understand how politics can
 cut any figure in the adoption of
 States into the Union; it is impos-
 slble for me to see how it effects the
 question. Shall it be reduced to
 this proposition. with this great
 American people, that one or the
 other political party must give birth
 to States, or States shall not be
 born into Union that has been en-
 tered on that proposition" MT.
 Baker has certainly read the history
 ofthis country differently from most
 men if he has failed to discover,
 that the democratic pa ty, to which
 he belongs, has refused admission
 of States for political reasons.
 A horrible story comes from Erie,
 Pennsylvania: Two months ago,
 Farmer George Heidecker, of Green
 township, apparently died very sud
 denly of what was supposed to have
 been heart failure. The remains
 were buried four days later in the
 Erie cemetery. The remains were
 recently removed, and when the cas- 
 ket was opened a horrifying specta-
 cle was presented. The body was
 found lying on it's face. and the in
 terior of the casket bore traces of a
 terrible struggle with death. The distorted and blood-covered fea- lures bore evidence of the horrible agony endured. The clothing about the head and neck had been torn into shreds, as was likewise the lin-
 ing of the coffin. Marks of finger
 nails on the face, throat and neck. told of the awful despair of the doomed man, who tore his own flesh in his terrible anguish. Several fingers had been entirely bitten of, and the hands were torn with his teeth until they scarcely resembled those of human being.
 The strongest argument offered for statehood for Arizona in he present condition, is that the land reserved for school and university purposes would then be turned over to the state and could be applied for the uses intended. The constitu- tional convention by placing a min imum limit of Sl0 per acre on these lands has destroyed all the force there was in that argument. While in the Salt and Gila river valleys such lands will no doubt readily soil for this price there Is but little land in northern Arizona that could be of at any such price. A few sections around Flagstaff which are covered with heavy growth of tim per could probably be disposed of at he price named, and aside from this ye doubt if there are half dozen sections in the entire northern land district that can be disposed Of at he price named in the new constitu- ion. The action of the convention n placing this restriction on the sale | 'f the lands which would be acquired | y the state indicates one of two | hings. Either that the convention bought that the Salt and Gila river alleys are all that there is of Ari- ona or that they felt that Arizona tood no chance of being admitted. nd they could well afford to get up I"bluf constitution.
 The Courier's correspondent, :. F. w, in explanation of the Sl0 imitation in the constitution, con erning the sale of public lands, avs il was inserted there because l granting lands to other States, 'ongress has placed this limitation f price. We shall discover after while, if our constitution makers an only be prevailed on to explain he document prepared by them, nat it is based largely on Congress
 onal legislative precedent, and Iture legislative enactment. The lstrument itself provides largely ,r future legislative enactment, -hile We are just now beginning to g told of its congressional legisla- . ve precedent conditions. Assum- E that Congress will restrict the rice of lands to Sl0per acre, is that ny reason why the convention lould anticipate the action of Con- ress by saying to it, "We don't l ant to sell any lands for a less { rice unless you say so," Did not { le members of that convention low that but small, very small 1 srcentage of our public lands 6 'uld be sold for that pricei Why en was this restrictive clause in- c rted7 Again, if the convention I oneht, from precedent, Con- s ess will not allow the future State e
 sell her lands for less than S10 per ( re, why do they place such stress T ,on the prospective land grants, n hich from precedent, they expect t
 realize on becoming a State, as b
 offset to the increased expense of D atehoodf What benefit can they b pect the lands to be if they can c t be soldi As to the ;ntimation O at statehood will increase the Ii ice of silver some B cents on y cry dollar, we do not consider any e swer necessary, but frankly con- u $ that if we could be covinced of d is, we would be tempted to swal- a' V the instrument with all its de- |