Bisbee daily review., 1902-05-20
ACTUAL NUMBER PRINTED TO-DAY. II5O.
PLEA FOR THE TERRITORIES.

Representative Knox of Massachu- sets, chairman of the house commit tee on territories, and who had charge of the omnibus statehood bill during its recent consideration in congress, in his speeches during the discussion which lasted the better part of three days, demonstrated his remarkable fa- miliarity with the conditions which prevailed under a territorial form of government He is a republican, bui in the consideration of such a vital question of justice to a deserving peo- pie, he brushed politics aside and plead earnestly for Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma. He quoted statistics show ing that each of these territories pos sessed the wealth, population, energy and intelligence to maintain a state government that would do honor to the American union. In answer to the objection that Arizona, if admitted as a state would send two democrats 10 the United Ssates senate, MT. Knox said:
 Now, l do not place much conse- Quence upon that sort of argument If that is true, if political considera- tions are to control in the admission of the territories, then the proposition is this, is it not, that these terri tories must remain territories until both branches of congress have ma iority of the same political party, and the political complexion of the terri tories accords with that political ma jority in the two houses.
 Now, when will that occur? Will it be after the lapse of another fifty years. while these people shall have re- mained in territorial bondage, or will it be never, and will they always re main as they are? I enter my protest against the claim that political con sideration should control in the ad- mission of territories. (Applause) tt is simply saying that the rights of the citizen shall depend upon what he believes and thinks upon great public questions; and when this great nation undertakes to persecute for opinions sake. then the knell of it's doom will sound, and ought to sound
 Continuing answering the objections to the bill, the distinguished gentle man offered unanswerable reasons fo- giving to the territories the right Of self-government More Of his re- marks are here quoted:
 Now, what other reason is there, besides the political reason, why these people should be kept from admission to the union? I have found none; l have heard none. The question has been asked, What benefit would the people of these territories receive from admission into the union? How much better of are they going to be? What advantage is there in becoming other than what they are? They have a legislature, they have laws, and courts for their enforcement What advantage is it going to be to them? The advantage is in the first place practical, and in the next place it Is sentimental
 "The practical advantage is this: Under the law as it is now any law of a territorial legislature may be unmade by congress, and the unrea- sonabIe provision of the general terri torial law, I think, is that no time
 
 disapprove of territorial enactment. It is not provided that they shall dis approve of it in a definite time or within a reasonable time, but it may be disapproved ten, twenty, or thirty years after it is passed, so that any rights obtained under a territorial law are always liable to be overthrown.
 Tt is never settled that the law of the territorial legislature shall remain. And this is not a mere general state 9 ment The evidence was conclusive that that is the opinion in the financial centers of the world-in New York, iT London, in Berlin, and everywhere se- curities are examined. Capitalists will not invest in a territory. They want a state law, and the reas ! is o5cc-se of the power which congress has ,o unmake the territorial law.
 "The other r',IIse, of course, is se:.- timentaI It is the desire for home rule which is implanted in the breast