The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-23
Arizona and New Mexico Not Now in
a Condition to Entitle Them
to Statehood.
THE VENEZUELAN QUESTION
AMERICAN INTERESTS SAFE IN THE
PRESIDENTS HANDS.
Establishment of q Department OF
Commerce an Important Step
Interesting Gossip.

''The omnibus bill, providing for the ad-
mission of all the Territories as States,
will never become a law" said Senator
Beveridge last evening, in talking of the
struggle over the question that is now on
in the Senate. 1.-The Territories fight has
absorbed the attention of the Senate dur
ing the first few weeks of the session.
and after the holiday recess it will be re-
sumed with unabated vigor.
1.-The fight is the result of the attempt
of Senator Quay and his followers to
force through the omnibus bill. admitting
New Mexico, Arizon, Oklahoma and In
dian Territory into the Union. The COM
mittee on territories reported adversely
on this bill and introduced substitute
measure providing for the admission of
Oklahoma and Indian Territory as one
State Neither New Mexico nor Arizona
has a sufficient population, nor a popula-
ton sufficiently prepared, for statehood.
ARIZONA has a population all told Of
$4,000 less than the population of Indian
apolis; nearly 10000 of the Territory's inhab-
itants are Indians, who are not taxed, and
of the remainder some are people of Mexi-
can descent. who speak no English. There
are some magnificent Americans in Arizona,
and they would make splendid citizens.
but they are too few In numbers. Taking
the entire population Of the Territory there
is an average of but one person to the
square mile. The chief industry of Arizona
is mining. but this industry cannot be re-
garded as a stable basis for population for
statehood OF the 13. 1000 900 acres Of land in
the Territory only 1s5. 900 are this year under
cultivation, and every acre must be irri-
gated before it can be farmed. In
the course of time, when a better system Of
irrigation has been successfully introduced,
Arizona may be entitled to recognition as
an agricultural community.
New Mexico has population of 1876 900.
but an immense majority of the people
are Spanish-speaking. The criminal courts
are conducted almost entirely through the
use of interpreters, and ii is necessary to
use interpreters in conventions and political
campaigns. English is taught in all the
schools but Spanish Is also taught in most
of them. In some of them nothing but
Spanish is taught. 1t would not be just
TO give these Territories, with such a
small population of Americans. equal power
I'm shaping the laws of the Nation with the
greatest Safes in the Union. AS States
each would be entitled to two members
footing with Indiana, or New York. or any
other State, so far as the framing OF the
laws of the country is concerned.
ION the other hand Oklahoma and In
dian Territory have a combined population
of something like 100000. There are 400 :
900 people in Indian Territory. and OF this
number but $1,000 are Indians-a fact that
Is not generally known. Oklahoma and
Indian Territory will make a State about
the size of Kansas. These Territories are
in excellent condition in every respect. They
are growing rapidly in number and char
acter of inhabitants and statehood Is not
necessary to their continued growth and
prosperity. L understand that Senator
Quay claims the solid Democratic vote of
| the Senate, as we'll as the votes of a few
Republican members, in support of the om-
nibus bill. but IL will never become a
| law.
VENEZUELAN QUESTION.
Senator Beveridge was asked about the
| Washington view OF the Venezuelan situa-
| tion and replied:
1.-The universal sentiment I'm Washington
| Is that President Roosevelt IL conducting
| that question with great discretion and
! skill. He shows the moderation, conserya-