Arizona republican., 1898-11-11
AR1zoNA's LOST OPPORTUNITY.

the history of Arizona politics. In preferring him to Brodie the voters of the territory have thrown away the best chance that has presented itself to secure statehood Statehood today is farther away than it was when the question of admission first began to be agitated.
 As predicted by this newspaper the congress is safely republican in both branches The senate will have strong republican majority. The thrsat of free silver legislation has been removed from the senate. When it comes lime to legislate on the money question the republicans will hold the whip hand In the house Tom Reed will be in control, as in the past, and the free silverites will be powcrless. Most of the democrats who were elect | ed to the house are not in favor of sll- yer In New York, for instance, the democratic gain Of twelve congress- men carries with it not a grain of com fort to the free silverites. Free sH- yer was not included in the New York democratic platform. The con- test was waged on local issues purely. Now that they are elected these twelve democrats will not afford any aid or encourage to the silT2r men, for at heart they have no use for silver.
 To this house with it's anti-silver sentiment MT. Wilson will present his credentials Does any sane man as- sume that he will cut any figure in that body? Ordinarily it takes a congress- man a year or two to become ae- quainted. A delegate who does not possess a vote is handicapped unless Ee has fame. CT money or the gift Of mak- ing friends. The reputation of Col. Brodie as a gallant Rough Rider would have stood him in good stead had he been elected. He would have been in the public eye from the mo- ment of his entry to the house. The Rough Riders are idoliZed in the east
 The names of their leaders are house. hold words. The features of Roosevelt and Wood ard Brodie are familiar to all eastern people who take n illus trated papers. Brodie, though without vcte would nevertheless have been big gun in the F'ifty-sixth congress Packed by a republican legislature and evidences of a progressive spirit 1n
 Arizona his request for statehood would have received favorable cons1d'
 eraion.
 The voters of Arizona have seen fit
 to turn down this availble man and lsend in his place one who already has a most uuenviable reputation in Wash~ ing.on. Wilson is known there
 as the democrat from Arizona who
 made charges against Governor Me lCord in the hope of preventing Me
 Cords confirmation and keeping hls
 own name on the territorial pay roll.
 He made himself the laughing stock of the senate. Wilson will simply be lost in the house. He cannot possibly have friendly relations with the senate
 committee On territories, and the fact that he is a democrat will not hslp him , with the house committees, where re , publicans predominate. The people of Arizona have elected him to draw
 salary Of s5,o00 year without hops
 of receiving any benefit from his pres GnCG : handicapped from the day his name goes on the house pay roll. He cannot ' do anything for silver, for the free sll'
 yer sentiment in the house is waning
 He cannot bring about statehood be- ] cause he is opposed to the presiden' and the majority that has the power F so give statehood. He will join tht md 9 n
 nonentity to the end of his term. II
 electing him word has gone to tht
 country that Arizona prefers to cling = to a dead issue rather than to secure r the benefits that statehood woulE : bring. One result will be that capita = will continue to slun Arizona It nat t urally.will be suspicious of peogl
 that stands in it's own light and de
 liberately puts aside the opportunIt! : to advance it's material interests. t In Strong corsrast to the actiol f of Arizona is that of New Mexico. Tn q present delegate from New Mexico, MI
 f5ergusson. is a democrat who wa
 s1ected by more than 1900 pluralit
 wo years ago. New Mexico desire T statehood. Although the silver sen 't .imert is strong there tie people sa' l. the necessity of sending a republlca < delegate to Washington to make re l, quest of a republican congress, an > they turned in and elected the reput a lican candidate by substantial ma
 ;oritv. MT. Pera will have the or l. Dortunity that would have been Co 1t rrodia,c had he boen elected. Tn T. New Mexicans have shown far slgh' > edness. Arizona, like Kansas, appear IS to be doomed to learn by sad exper i- ence that clinging to dead issues wi 6 rot make a commonwealth.