Arizona republican., 1903-01-15
CURRENT COMMENT
California for the Statehood Bill.

California has now an opportunity to
stand forth as a champion of the in
terests of the greater west. Reports
from Washington concerning the prob
able fate of the omnibus statehood bill
are uncertain and varying. Although
the measure has been before the senate
ever since the last session, when ii was
sent up from the house, ii appears
there are a considerable number OF
senators who have not yet made up
their minds how to vote. A resolution
of the California legislature urging the
passage of the measure may have the
effect of inducing some of the doubtful
ones to make up their minds to vote
right.
1t will be altogether right and fitting
for the Legislature to take action on
this subject. California stands as the
empire state of the great west and
ought therefore to manifest a sympa-
thetic interest in all that concerns the
upbuilding of any western common
wealth. Moreover we have a closer
relation with Arizona and New Mexico
anu a fuller knowledge of their condi-
lions than have the people of the east,
and therefore have a good right to
speak for them before the federal
senate.
Action on our part is the more i'm
portant as there has been a hard fight
made against the west. The same ele-
ments that so long opposed the adop-
ton Of federal irrigation law for the
advancement of the arid regions of the
country are now making the fight
against the admission of the three ter
ritories; and the arguments in this
case, like those in the former. are
hardly more than badly concealed ex-
pressions of sectional prejudices and
ignorance.
The voice of California speaking
through her Legislature by a unanimous
resolution will certainly have effect IT
the national capital. The debate on
the bill has been prolonged to a point
where it is giving occasions for scan
dals. Rumor is busy declaring that
certain railroads and mining corpora
lions are backing the bill, and on the
toher side it is said that political and
partisan influences are at work to de-
feat it. 1t will be timely. therefore,
for California to utter non-partisan
declaration on the subject
1t is to be regretted that there has
been so prolonged a controversy over
the issue. In the house it was treated
with true craftsmanship and prompt
ly passed. 1t was not made a question
of partisan politics. The house is strong
ly republican. The original bill went to
the committee on territories, where
there is also a republican majority.
There it was framed and passed in the
| form in which it is now before the SEN
ate. There were no scandals about the
passage of the measure in the house.
| There was no waste of time in pro-
longed all-day speeches, threshing over
a subject with which every one is ia
maliar who takes any interest in il at
ALL
The only things to be considered in
the matter are whether the territories
are sufficiently advanced to be fitted
| Tor statehood. Those questions are 20
be answered by statistics of population.
wealth, resources and education. In
every one of those respects each of the
territories included in the bill measure:
up to the requirements of law and
precedent. Each of them is more popu-
lous, more wealthy and has larger re-
| sources than several of the common
wealths that have long enjoyed state
mood. Moreover each of them has a
potency of future growth that will
raise 1t in the near future to a high
rank in the sisterhood of states, leaving
some of those whose senators are now
talking scornfully about western min
lngc amps" far behind in the race for
wealth and population.
Both the great political parties of
the country have in their platforms de.
clared in favor of the admission of the
three territories. The time has now