Mohave County miner., 1893-02-25
Arzona's Prospects.

uicu ultll tlcIc is Coiiusiou III touSicos
and doubt in the public mind. The ties.
timony Of the representatives OF Arizona
has been taken as interested, and the
charge that the attempt to make it a
state was merely scheme to add
another "rotten borough" to the union
has had much effect with the people.
The Examiner therefore determined
to put an end to the doubts and to settle
the question so far as possible by a
thorough and independent investigation.
For this purpose member OF the Ex-
aminer staff was sent TO Arizona, and
for several weeks he has been looking
thoroughly into the facts that bear on
this question Of statehood.
The result of his investigations will be
found given in the four pages devoted to
the subject in tod.,y's issue. The extent
OF the ield covered has made it impossi-
BILE to go deep.y into details in the space
tina. could be given, but glance at the
series ot articles included will show how
thoroughly the work has been done.
The facts shown by the investigation
are conclusive. Arizona possesses all
the elements Of great and prosperous
commonwealth, and no candid man can
doubt after reading the articles on the
resources, progress, and industry OF the
territory, that it should be admitted to
full fellowship with the forty-four states.
The varied resources OF Arizona have
not been understood or appreciated out
side of its boundaries. To the east it is
still representative OF frontier lawlessness.
Its name il suggestive of the .ildness OF
the mining camp OF romance, OF the
Apache raid, and the murdered settlers.
Its resources are remembered as mines
and cacti, neither of which are wanted
by eastern capital.
The real Arizona is as different from
the eastern picture OF the territory as the
real New York or Chicago is different
from the ideal thai is represented in the
French comic papers. IL comprises as
many resources as any state in the west.
Its mineral wealth is great, but its hope
is not only nor chiefly in its mines 1t
is great agricultural region and its de-
yelopment in this line in the next twenty
years will he az wonderful as the devel-
oprHent OF Southern California in the
last two decades. II is true that Arizona
has mountains and deserts. IL is a vast
country, and can afford to leave ont Of
reckoning enough land TO make an east
ern state or two without missing it. But
after all deductions are made its largest
area il Of fertile land that will produce
every crop that can be grown out OF the
tropics.
The richness OF Arizona soil is to be
appreciated only by those who have seen
its products. The only requisite for
C ops is irrigation. Wherever water has
been brought to the land it has proved
extraordinarily productive. Grain and
lruit are produced Of quality unknown
outside OF California The result Of such
irrigation works "a have been constructed
are such that capital will eventually uti-
lie every drop OF water in the territory.
Three hundred thousand acres are now
under irrigation, aud the system will
eventually be widely extended. When
this is done Arizona will support great
population and will ship its grain and
its iruit TO other states and countries
with as much regularity AS California
herself.
stock raising has long been an i'm.
portant industry Of the territory, and
will 70. many years continue to be
source OF revenue. Much OF the land
now devoted TO that business will, how.
ever, become too vtiu tbla Tor pasture
and will be turnei into farms ant or.
chards.
Tue wealth and prOductiveness OF the
territory justify its claims to admission.
The argument of population has un-
justly been used against the territory.
Many Of the states in the past have had
no greater population when admitted
Illinois, Indiana. Oregon, Wyoming and
others had fewer people than are nov in
Arizona when they were made states of
the union
Ia qralitv Of population Arizona Is
fully ft for the duties and privileges
OF statehood. The public schools are
efficient and fully maintained The peo-
pie tax themselves chserfnIIy 10 pay the
high salaries tn It bring the best teacl,