Arizona republican., 1903-03-02
A Dangerous Delegate, and Danger
 ouS Resolution.

The people are beginning to appre- ing J. Frank Wilson to be . delegate to congress from this territory. It is bad enough to have man of Wilson's beliefs and tendencies representing a progressive. debt-paying. non-repudiat- statesmen at Washington will judge people by the representative they elect. But 1t is infinitely worse. as it happens, to have for delegate a man who is will ing to accept a joint statehood with New Mexico Colonel Wilson's paper, his personal organ, came out yes terday morning defending the Ives joint resolution which we discussed in these columns Saturday. This resolu- ton, which is now awaiting the action of the house of representatives of the legislature. recites:
 Resolved, by the council and house O4 Ol l NOiAAy ond legislative assembly, that it is the sense of such body that. while the people of Arizona are opposed to ad- mission as a state jointly with New Mexico, and believe themselves en- titled as a matter of justice and right to admission as a separate state, still. If the purpose and intent of the ccn- gre5s of the United States is to refuse them admission as a separate state, then that the people of Arizona will accept joint statehood with New Mex leo on condition that the enabling act of congress provides that the consti- tuition of the proposed state shall not be effective until adopted by major ity of the votes of each of the present territories voting separately, and that Arizona shall have equal representa- ton with New Mexico in the constitu- tional convention
 Notwithstanding the qualifications and the ifs and ands" embodied in the resolution, they do state that "IF THE PURPOSE AND INTENT of the con- gress of the United States is to refuse them admission as Q separate state, THEN that the people Of Arizona WILL ACCEPT joint statehood with New Mexico" on the conditions men toned. In other words, the people of Arizona. having found congress indis- posed to grant them statehood, now give up the battle of twenty years, and WILL ACCEPT statehood with New Mexico. it being understood only that a separate vote is to be had on the constitution
 And that is not all. The resolution is far more dangerous than was indicated In these columns Saturday after we had made a hasty examination thereof It will be perceived. upon careful read ing, that there is NO RESERVATION WHATSOEVER as to temporary union with New Mexico. It is provided, simply. that WE ACCEPT statehood with that territory ii permitted to vote separately on the constitution It can not be argued with any plausibiIity that this does not commit the legisla- lure absolutely to the idea of perma- nent statehood with New Mexico. It means any restrictions beyond what is contained therein. It is 9, mere subter- the constitution unless it provided for division of the new state. It might be a hundred other things are reserved and understood
 < sonal ambitions there may be behind the resolution, we do not care now to lives. which heretofore has been so tractable in following the dictation of professional politicians, should give it's assent to this resolution it would place a load upon the back of the dominant party which would be worse than the burden of the Old Man of the Sea. and from that narrow view point it would be helpful to the republican party to have the democracy go on record for the resolution. But, before any party, The Republican is for the welfare of all Arizona.
 stand as the formal declaration Of