The herald., 1896-01-11
THREE MORE TERRITORIES
Ready to Ask Admission to the
Union
THE BILLS NOW PENDING
COnferring Statehood Upon 0klahoma,
New Mexico and Arizona
Congressional Interviews Develop . Strong
Sentiment In Favor of the Abolition Of
Territorial Government
Associated Press Snecial Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1O.-The three terri
torial delegates, Messrs. Flynn of Oklaho-
ma, Murphy of Arizona and Catron Of
New Mexico, are waging a vigorous cam
paign in congress to secure favorable ac-
ton upon their bills for the admission of
the respective territories represented by
them to statehood. Each delegate consid-
ers the achievement of statehood the chief
mission of his congressional career, and
their energies are bent on securing it.
They are anxious to have the bills before
the territories committee reported to the
house and disposed of in some way, and
having made a canvass of the committee,
believe that more than two-thirds of it's
members will vote for favorable report.
The bills for the admission of Arizona
and New Mexico before this congress are
enabling acls modelled upon the act upon
which Utah was admitted to statehood.
with certain modi6cations made necessary
by local conditions.
Arizona's bill, which was debated by the
last house, stipulated for immediate state
hood on constitution which had already
been formed by The people, but there was
doubt concerning the legal standing of the
conventions. Mr.. Flynn's new Oklahoma
blll differs from the former one in giving
authority to congress to attach any or all of
the Indian territory to Oklahoma, when
the LANDS have been allotted and made
subject to taxation.
Ex-Governor Murphy of Arizona, who is
now the territorial delegate, and who has
sounded the views of congress on the ques-
ton, says that he finds strong sentiment
for the abolition of the territorial system,
but that there is much opposition to the
admission of Arizona, New Mexico or Okla
horna on the part of eastern members, who
object to increasing the free silver strength
of he senate.
"The people of my territory are not ex-
tremists on the financial question:" he
said. 'The territory produces more gold
and copper than silver, and, moreover, it
is not certain that the added impetus given
to the gold mining has compensated for
the decreased use of silver as money. AL
though we are western people with western
views, we are not extremists, Moreover.
our statehood would not be acquired for
year under that bill, when the presidential
election would be past and when the tinan-
| cial question might have been remove ed
from politics as q disturbing factor. Il
| seems just tnat a mere incidental issue
should stand in he way of our undoub led
| claims to statehood"
Mr. Catron of New Mexico believes that
the committee will undoubtedly make IA
favorable report on the statehood bills and
that the chances for success in the house
are good The territorial form of govern
ment, he says, is uurepublican and an an
ojnaly; that it does not command the con-
fidence of the residents of the territories or
others because the officers are responsible
to the appointing powers instead of the
people. and that it materially retardS the
development of the country.