Arizona silver belt., 1898-09-01
Arizona Silver Belt
SEPTEMBER |. 1898.
FHf ISSUES BEFORE THE PEO,
 PILE.

The partisan prsss has raised the statehood fetich in an attempt to blind She voters of the territory to the real issues of the campaign. Republicans as we'll as democrats know fal, we'll that statehood for Arizona is very remote possibility. As a talismsn it hs0 lost its power to coniure with. The records of the nineteenth legislature and of the McCord administration are mighty poor credentials with which to go before congress asking autonomy for Arizona. The statehood bantling was accouched and nurssd by the political push of both parties with the design to create moro offices, and more opportunities to plumber the taxpayers. The political history of Arizona furnishes an almost unbroken record of corruption and i'm becility in the administration of affairs, and the territory is today grooming un- der excessive taxation and e debt, in- eluding county and municipal, of more than S3, 1000, ,0OO. It is certain, if un- der the restraints placed upon tsrrito- ries by the federal laws Arizona has reached the breakers which wash the rocks of bankruptcy, those restrictions removed, we could not hope to escape financial destruction.
 The vital issues before the people of Arizona are the reform of territorial and county government, and the silver question. The first is more important at this time, because it is moro urgent, and there is opportunity of accomplish ing much toward securing better gov ernment and an abatement of taxes if the business men and property owners can be atotised from their apathy and induced to take an active interest in political affairs. We believe that re- forms could best be accomplished by the organization in every county of a citizens league independent of any political party. An organization of this kind, comprising the business men, property owners, and representatives of the mining, cattle and agricultural interests, could exert powerful infu- ence upon the existing political parties by urging the nomination of clean and competent men for office, and by sup porting only such men in elections.
 There is too much disposition among business men to shirk their political re- responsibilities, because they do not want to give the time from their private af. fairs, or for fear that they might make enmities which would injure them in their business. So long as tho ln. fiuential business men of the territory pursue this narrow, short sighted poli- cy, just so long will we have corruption and mismanagement in our government. A citizens league in Globe might exert s salutary influence in many directions. There are many abuses to correct and questions affecting the welfare and progress of the town and county to de- termins.
 The silver question is ono upon which we cannot hope for immediate action, but it is nevertheless advisable and ne. cessary to keep it prominently before the people, as the one great issue in- timately affecting the prosperity of the west. Arizona, although she has no direct voice in national affairs, never thsless, exerts an influence which is of no small importance to advocates of silver coinage, and the agitation of other questions should not be permit ted to dwarf the issue of free silver coinage. ..-..