Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-11-14
FAvORS STATEHOOD.
The Administration Wants All Three
Territories Admitted as States.
WOULD STRENGTHEN REPUBLICANS.

Globe Democrat contains the following
regarding statehood for the terrific
ries:
Washington, Nov. 9.-There is much
speculation and wide difference of
opinion among politicians and omc!als
here as to the prospects for the pass
age Of the bill admitting Oklahoma,
Arizona and New Mexico to statehood
at the coming snort session of con-
gress.
The sentiment seems to be that the
bin will be passed by the senate prac-
tically as it was passed by the house
at the last term, although there are
propositions looking to various amend
ments.
One of these is to leave New Mexico
out of the bill, admitting Oklahoma
and Arizona. Another is, drop both
New Mexico and Arizona and to admit
Oklahoma.
The president is known to favor the
admission of all three of the terrific
ries.
To the argument that they may turn
democratic he replies that he has no
fear of his ability to carry Oklahoma
and New Mexico. and is confident that
Arizona will go republican in the ma
tional campaign.
y The senate committee on territories
has wisely planned a trip Of investiga-
ton, so it's report will presumably be
in readiness for the senate on it's OPP
ening day, or perhaps may be made
public before. The presidents message
usually absorbs attention on the first
day, and the report Of the secretary
with the book of estimates, on the sec
ond.
Since the voting must take place on
the 10th day Of December, unless that
agreement be vacated by unanimous
consent, 1t might be well for the COM
mittee to get its finding before the
public in some form before the assem-
blage of congress, and so give the
country a chance to express itself on
the question. The committee Of inves-
tigation, to start out from Chicago on
Monday, will consist of Senators Bev-
oridge, Of Indiana; Dillingham;, of Yer.
mont; Durham, of New Hampshire;
Nelson, of Minnesota, and Bard, Of Cal
ifornia, republicans; with Bate, of Ten
nessee, and Heitfeld, Of Idaho, demo-
Gratis. This committee, only a part Of
the committee on territories, processes
to start out with an open mind, ready
to be Influenced by what it finds as to
the material and moral resources Of
these territories. and their guarantees
of permanence. Several arguments IA
vor the admission of these territories.
Under our system they will have to be
admitted sooner or later, and a few
years, one way or the other, would
make little difference in the life of a
nation.
The first democratic administration
that comes along would surely admit
them, and from a republican point of
view the now dominant party might
just as well gain the favor in those
communities by comforting upon them
the great boon of statehood as to leave
this advantage to its ever-resourceful
opponent.
New Mexico was practically promis-
ed admission to the Union at the time
of the Mexican cession; it has for more
than half a century urged its claims
upon congress. Oklahoma is abund-
antly large for a state, and no one OBJ
jects to Its admission. especially il the
Indian Territory complication could be
adjusted. Arizona must come in, II at
all, to make a clean job of it.
without doubt. any community pros.
pers more under statehood than under
remaining ip a territorial condition.
Securities and investments would be
strengthened by the change.
The objections to the admission of
three or four new states In the south
west relate chiefly to the balance OF
national power between the small
states and the large ones.
II our small states were scattered
through the Union, just as Rhode Is
land, Delaware and Florida are in the
east, no harm would be done by the
admission Of three more.
But where a dozen or more states
which will always be small are grouped
it gives to the interests which they
have in common a very disproportion'
ate strength in the senate, and that
body today controls very largely the
government of the United States, hav'
ing encroached somewhat on the pow
ers of the executive and subordinated
the house of representatives.
II is easy to compute that with these
four territories admitted to the Union
a very small fraction of the country's
population, wealth and business power
might constitute a senate majority.
The combination of the south and
Rocky mountain west, made by Mr.
Bryan's first canvass and likely to be
repeated from time to time in our his
tory. so the statehood opponents APP
pear to fear. is dangerous to the sub
stantial interests of the great block Of
states from Bangor to Des Moines.