El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-13
CLAIM TO STATEHOOD.
The Census Returns Will Help the
Territory's Agitation.

Arizona's claims to statehood, which
have been urged almost continuously,
but thus far unsuccessfully. since lSio
are aided by tie returns of the federal
census. For a number of years the ma
tionaI conventions of both parties nave
accorded recognition to Arizona by
admitting her delegates and through
representation upon their national
committees The republican natloal
convention at Philadelphia explicitly
inoorsed the early admission to state
hood of the territories of New Mex
leo. Arizona and Oklahoma, in the
platform The democrats in Kansas
C,ity denounced the failure of the re-
publican party to carry out its pledges
TO grant statehood to the territories OF
Arizona. New Mexico and Oklahoma,
and promised statehood to the people
of thesee three territories Like
pledges have been made for years by
both parties. but without securing
statehood TO Arizona, the strongest
argument in opposition being that the
territoy did not have the requisite pop
uiatiOn.
By the census of 1870 Arizona ranked
ffty-sixth among the civil divisions
Estates and territories) of the United
States In 1850 the territory advanced
a little to forty fourth place and in
At that time the population as return
ed by the federal census was $1,000,
considerably less than some thriving
interior New York cities, and furnish
ing therefore a reason why the ad-
mission of the territory as state
should be delayed along with that or
its neighbor. New Mexico, older in
point OF organization and having in
1890 population nearly three times
greater than that of Arizona Both
territories have a large semi-Mexican,
semi-American population, Familiarity
known to the white inhabitants as
..greasers" and New Mexico had by the
federal census of ten years ago $500
Indian inhabitants, in addition to p
600 negroes and few hundred China
men Arizona with a much small
er total population had at the same
time l.5OO Cinnamon, and it is this
disproportionate number of white per-
sons qualified for American electors
which caused both parties to hesitate
TO carry forward the admission OF
New Mexico and has operated still
further to suspend the admission of
Arizona. for the latter having the
smaller population and being the new
er territoy could not with much fair
ness or propriety be admitted as
state while New Mexico was excluded.
The admission of the two with four
United States senators would increase
the disparity in the representation
the larger states have in congress and
this explains very clearly why it is
that neither party when in power in
Washington has been willing to incur
theresponsibility of the admission of
either territory as a state.
The recent census, however, returns
Arizona as having present population
of 122 900, large gain over 1890. Dur
ing the last ten years Phoenix has in
creased 40 per cent, Tucson 80 per cent.
and Prescott 100 per cent, and the
present population of Arizona is
twelve times greater than it was in
1870 when the agitation for admission
began in earnest. This large increase,
which improved railroad connections.
will doubtless develop stlll further, is
urged as q strong argument why, at
last. the claims of Arizona should be
Iavorably considered at Washington.
A population of COO for a territory
claiming admission as a state is con-
sidera bly, larger than most states had
when admitted. Delaware, one of the
original thirteen states, has now, after
a lapse of more than a century, a popu-
lation of less than 200 ,O00.-New York
Sim