The Florence tribune., 1898-06-11
HOME RULE FOR ARIZONA.
Speech of Hon. Marcus A. Smith In the House of Representatives March
 t6, 1898.

MT. Smith of Arizona said;
 Mir. CHAIRMAN: As general debate on this bill has taken the usual wide range, and thus given opportunity to many eloquent gentlemen to paint in living colors the unfortunate condition surrounding the people of Cuba, deem it not inopportune to call the attention of this House and the country to the cruel and inhuman treatment which the Territories of the United States are receiving at the hands of the General Government. At the outset permit me to assert that there is no community or people on the face of the earth who feel deeper sympathy with the suffering people Of cuha or greater indignation at the brutality of Spain than the un- represented citizens of our Western Territories "A fellow feeling makes us wondrous lind,p
 Having felt the hand of oppression, we keenly feel the necessity of freedom. Having suffered from injustice, we actually hate it whenever we chance to see it. On account of what we have in our own persons felt do not hesi- l tate to declare that the sincerest lovers of liberty, the mostimpersonal patriots on our soil to-day, are the people of Arizona. They are no strangers to republican form of government, yet one might conclude they were if their history were written only in the pro ceedings of Congress and it's com mittees.
 Descendants of Revolutionary heroes are there. Veterans of the triumphant army of the North in the late great war and their children are there. Those who followed with courage the conquered banner till all save life and honor were lost are there. Of these and such as these is the matchless citizenship of Arizona composed, and far across the rolling plains and steepled cities and lofty mountain tops they stretch congratulatory hand to everyone here who has had the human ity, courage, and patriotism to express sentiment in favor of the freedom of Cuba peacefully if possible, but at the cannon's mouth if necessary.
 But, MT. Chairman, we have not listened with patience to your proposal to annex Hawaii, with its mongrel citizenship and sugar trust domination while Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, with more than half a million of American freeborn, yet en- slaved, citizens are taxed without rap l resentation, denied even the right of 1 local self-governmenti and, above al, denied their constitutional right to statehood. Against this we have pro- tested, and still protest. Unavailing this protest will continue to be until other and juster men shall take your places here and fill other higher places now held by the enemies of our cause,
 Twice have passed bill admitting Arizona to statehood through this House when the Democrats had control. My predecessor, with all the industry of his nature, aided by every ingenuity his mind or imagination could summon, barely got a statehood bill out of com
 
 mittee in a Republican House, and never got and never could get even a hope of it's consideration in the House. He did as well and as much as any man could have done with such a House. He did as well as have been enabled to do with the present House, or as any man could do with it. The truth is that the goldbug Republican party is opposed to the admission of any other Western State, and as long as ii reigns Arizona will be left as 1t is, nc matter who shall be sent here as Delegate. You know this as we'll as do.
 The Committee on Territories by z strict party vote early in the present session denied us statehood. Ever, Democrat present voted for statehood Every Republican present voted agains statehood.
 When there was no longer a ehano i for victory on this line began to pres i my bill for home rule in Arizona, an it met exactly the same fate. Ina was simply bill to grant to Arizon the poor right to elect certain officer named therein by vote of the peopl
 instead of having strangers, carpe
 baggers, and incompetents thrust Q 2 us by any President of the Unite
 States or any of his advisers.
 No point was ever made against tn bill in committee or elsewhere ths
 entities itself to decent consideration
 No objection was ever urged highe
 than the miserable idea of giving O
 flee to some political striker or war
 heeler. do not mean here to cha
 acterize our present officers in Arizon
 as such heelers, but the principle
 the same, and one thing is certain, th
 one holding now the highest oficl