The Tucson citizen., 1902-12-04
THE STATEHOOD ISSUE.

The action of the Republican majority
of the Senate Committee on Territories
need cause no surprise to the people of
Arizona. The recent visit of members
of that committee to Arizona and New
Mexico was so 'palpably junket for
amusement and recreation and not for
information and enlightenment that
any report that should be made based
on that visit will be entirely devoid of
substantially or influence. AS The
Citizen noted at the time the mem bers
of the committee were in Arizona, they
rushed through the Territory. They
saw nothing except at Prescott, Phoe-
nix, Tucson and Bisbee, except what
was visible from the windows OF their
palace car. It would be an insult to
casual intelligence to call their forced
march through the Territory an investi.
CATION. They did not at any time 60
more than half mile from their private
car. If they were studying what not to
see their action would be much more
Ineligible than If the purport of their
visit was to see and learn and ascer.
tain.
The fact is, that majority of the Re-
publicans of both Houses OF Congress
are opposed to Statehood. The Repub-
lican leaders fear the power of the West
in Congress. The West is a sufferer
from Republican policies. The benef-
Charles of high tariff taxation, of trust
monopoly, of steamship subsidies, do
not reside in the West. and an increase
of Western strength in Congress would
inevitably imperil the perpetuation of
a system that enriches one section of the
country at the expense of another sec
ton. And this is not all. The three
great Territories, though equal per cap
ita contributors to public taxation, re-
,ceive none of the benefits of govern
mental munifcence. The Territories,
having no representation in the Senate.
and no vote in the House, are entirely
excluded from a share of the immense
sums annually appropriated for river
and harbor improvement, for the erec-
ton of public buildings, and for other
purposes of use and benefit. II Arizona,
New Mexico and Oklahoma were fully
enfranchised and represented in the
Senate they would be in position to
demand a rightful share of the fruits of
general taxation.
We observe that Governor Brodie, ex-
Governor Murphy, United States Mar
shal McCord and Surveyor General
Price have been selected by the citizens
of Phoenix to go to Washington as
Especial Statehood delegation to labor
with the Senators in the interest of Ari'
zona." 1t is to be hoped that the Re-
publicans of Arizona will pay the ex.
penses of this delegation. That would
be the proper and rational procedure.
Every Democrat in both Houses OF Con-
gress favors Statehood, and only Repub-
licans block the way. We were told
during the recent campaign that Presi.
dent Roosevelt would urge Statehood in
his message. We were advised to trust
the Republican majority in the Senate
and plead for its favor. New Mexico
did that and gave nine or ten thousand
majority for Rodey, but it seems that
New Mexico, like Arizona, comes out at
g
Arizona alone OF the three Territories
went Democratic, and thirty-six Demo.
cratic Senators at Washington stand
ready to reward it's allegiance.
The Republican party is on trial in
Arizona. Knute Nelson, the Scandina.
Wan Republican who represents Mime.