The border vidette. (Nogales, Ariz.) 1894-1934, 1898-01-20

day schools and temperance organiZa-
tions are as able. as good and as effec-
tive as those of the states.
''The only questions which congress
ought to take into account in consider
ing the admission bill for state are.
first, Has it the requisite wealth and
population, and that population the in
telligence necessary to manage state
government? And, second. is there
general desire upon the part of all
classes of the peopeO to assume the du-
ties and responsibilities of statehood?
These being answered in the affirmative,
the duty of congress, by the plain in
tent of the constitution, is not only a
simple one. but it is almost mandatory.
''New States may be admitted into this
Union.'' (Section 3, article (, Consti-
tution.) OF course, the constitution
does not say that congress shall admit
states, but this provision was thorough
ly considered in the convention which
framed the constitution, having BEEN
brought before that body by Mr.. Madi-
son. Mr.. Patterson, Mr.. Randolph and
Mr.. Hamilton, and the debates show
that every one of those gentlemen and
many others who spoke upon the ques-
ton considered that the clause that WAS
finally adopted was in substance equi
valent to a command. At least they
thought and said it would be held to be
not only a duty to admit a new state,
but pleasure. at that time one of the
great concerns of the convention was
how to get states to join the Union,
not how to keep them out. But it is
idle to tell congress what it must do,
though it is not out of place to tell con-
gress what it ought to do.
There is no doubt in the mind of
any member of congress, L take it, that
the people of this Territory are in
favor of being admitted. Every terri
tor.al convention that has been held in
the Territory for twelve or more years
has asked congress to admit US. Every
newspaper in the Territory has ad-
vocated admission. The Chamber of
Commerce of the city of Phoenix, which
represents all the business interests of
the city, has petitioned for admission.
The Territorial Agricultural Society,
which recently met in this city, passed
4 resolution unanimously in favor of
statehood. Every delegate sent to con-
gress from this Territory has labored
faithfully for the rights of the people in
this respect. 1t seems these facts ought
to settle the question as to how the
people of the Territory stand upon the
question of admission. Now, we have
the requisite population? The last CEN
sus, which was taken seven years ago,
showed population for Arizona of
50. 620 1t is fair to say that Arizona
today has population of $1,000. The
vote polled for delegate to congress in
Noyember, 1896, was Il, 050. which with
a total vote registered of 20, 15S, would
indicate population of nearly 81, 800.
81 think have now shown, and any
fair-minded person will concede, that
Arizona has as much wealth as the aver
of twenty-five st ates admitted from 1871
to 1876, period of over seventy-f1ve
years. l have also shown that we have
as much wealth ils at least eight of
them, and probably as much as the
VI tA4O MAOAC -bhO,
though the statistics as to the wealth of
the Others are not obtainable here. I
have shown that Arizona cast as many
votes as the average of thirteen of the
states cast ten years after their admis-
sion. The only thing remaining to
show is that our population has the in
telligence to manage statehood after
they get it. This is not hard matter
to do. 1 need only refer to the schools
and the laws of the Territory. In 1895
there were enrolled IL, 450 scholars of
school age. There were 81 teachers
employed, and there was paid out to
teachers for the year 1895, S137, ,291. 81.
This was only for district schools, and
does not include the Territorial univer-
sity nor the normal school, both of
which are ably conducted and doing
much good.
mot only are the laws OF the Terri
| tory wholesome, sound and benefcent,
but they are we'll enforced, and better
order IS maintained and less crime per-
petrated than in many of the states.
THE people who constitute the popu-
lation are from the South, the East,
and the Northwest. Probably ma
jority of the whole are from Ohio, Illi-
nois, Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin.
Iow.t and Minnesota. They are intelli-
gent, honest, energetic and patriotic,
and in aggregate will compare favorably
for any of these qualities with any like
number of people anywhere. These
facts are all before congress. I Can not
conceive why congress should keep the
| people of this Territory in territorial