The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-12
ARIZONA Is AMBITIOUS
RENEWED EFFORTS ARE BEING
MADE TO SECURE STATE
HOOD
AS TO SECTIONAL FEELING

HOOD
AS TO SECTIONAL FEELING
Eastern Ignorance and Partisan
Prejudice Stand in the Way-GOv.
Murphy Talks of the Prospects of
AdmissiOn-It Is Rich in Natural
Resources and Has the Requisite
Population.
TUCSON. Ariz., Nov. Sat the very
opening of the winter session the people
of the territory of Arizona, through their
representatives in Washington, will be-
gin knocking at the doors of congress so
strenuously for the admission Of Arizona
as state that it is more than likely, be-
fore the session has ended, some definite
action Will be taken in the matter Time
and again have the people of the terri
tory presented their claims and demanded
;hat they be recognized; time and again
they have used argument and much in
fuence, but in every instance both Con-
greSs and the administration have ig-
nored their entreaties, and the great tract
of land at the southernmost end of the
great basin has remained a territory,
while tracts o. less prominence and not
nearly such abundant resources have
been admitted into the Urion.
The action of congress in the matter
has been attributed to the stand taken
by the New England senators and rep
resentatlVes, who have always worked
against the admission of the Western ter
ritories, and this has been attributed to
sectional prejudice, ignorance of the ter
ritory's present conditions and resources
and to partisan policy. The population of
the territory has now reached about no.
900 and the people are almost unit in
their desire for admission as a state, and
little question arises in the opposition
party upon that score. The people of
the territory recommend the cession of
all public lands within Arizona to the
state, pending which the territory should
be authorized to lease the grazing lands
The mineral lands and the forest re-
serves, according to the peoples wish,
are to be retained by the general gov
eminent. All the land within the terri
tory should be surveyed, especially the
railroad grants, for taxing purposes. The
establishment of a government and assay
office is advocated, as is also the amend
ment Of the act of June q, 1866 concern
ing the right of way of the Atlantic &
Pacific Railroad company, so as to per-
nit the taxing of the track and super
structure along the right of way. An in
crease in the salaries of federal judges
is advised and the creation of a fifth
judicial district
GOVERNOR ON STATEHOOD
Gov. Murphy, who was In the city dur
ing the earlier part of the week en- route
from Washington to his home, is author
ity for the statement that during the
coming winter new state will be ad-
ndtted to the Union, and that state is to
be Arizona. while we are doing all Of
this expanding taking in new possess
sions in all parts of the worId-why can't
we do a little OF 1t within our own
bcuEdaI4es7'' he Eaid. Why should not
our territory be admitted? We have far
beyond the required number of pepula-
ton and our RESOURCES are unlirltted.
Our gold and copper and silver mines,
when properly developed, will be ex-
celled by none. 1t is Eastern prejudice
that holds US out Of the folds of the
Union
''In the territory of Arizona there is a
waste of barren sand plains covering an
area Of 76000,0 600 acres. One-third of this
is redeemable by irrigation. and already
100000 acres in Salt river valley have been
turned into gardens that raise from
three to four crops each year when prop
erly cultivated. The irrigation system
of this valley Is the greatest in the
world and has been carried forward at
an enormous expenditure of capital, but
the crops produced from that part of the
asert which has been irrigated If sold
in one bulk would defray all the ex-
penses of the work.
GREAT IRRIGATING WORK.
According to Gov Murphy this irriga-
ton system is to be pushed to a much
greater extent during the coming year.
Great reservoirs are to be constructed
and the land will be cut with a network
of bitches When the system is COM
pleted the long serious drouths which
are such special feature of that West
ern country will be of no consequence.
This land will then offer every possible
inducement 10 the settler and the popula.
ton of the territory will rapidly in
crease. The Eastern opponents to the
admission of Arizona object very strongly
10 the idea of the government ceding
the public lands to the territory If it
should be admitted as state, claiming
that the great tracts will be gobbled UP
by the corporations and monopolies, and
that the state will derive very little ben
eft from it, while the general govern
ment will derive none. The advocates
of statehood overcome this argument
very easily, on the grounds that this
land Will be worthless to corporations
unless 1t be improved, and to improve
1t will necessitate a large expenditure and
will bring In a greater population. The
scheme Is to cede 100000 acres Of this
desert land to a company of good repute
which will for every acre granted it i'm
prove two acres for the state. Three
hundred thousand acres would in this
way be irrigated and improved and ready
for the settler, and the Improvement
company could do nothing more with
their portion than sell or lease to the
farmer.
BELIEVES THEY WILL ADMIT IT. 81
1T is my opinion" said Gov Murphy,
that the administration is favorable to-
ward admitting the territory, and the
lower house. Of congress will need a con-
siderable amount of missionary work by
our people before 1t recognizes US. The
political complexion of the state will rest
altogether with the administration under
which it is admitted. The party lines
are very close, but, of course, If we
are taken into the Union during the
present winter the state will be safely
Republican for a number Of years"
Gov. Murphy will be in Washington
during the greater part OF the winter
working with a delegation of the most
prominent citizens Of the territory, who
will leave no stone unturned to have
congress recognize their cause A sepa-
rate bill is to be introduced in congress
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