Arizona republican., 1904-09-20
PHoENIx. ARIZONA. SEPT. 20. 1sO
mat Famous ResOIutIOn.

One paragraph in the republican platform adopted at Prescott makes a biting reference to some recent histo-. " which certain democratic politicians were hoping had been forgotten:
 and we deeply re- gret and depIore the action of the dem ocratic majority in the last territorial council in passing a resolution favoring joint statehood and transmitting said resolution to the president and the na- tional congress as the joint action of the territorial legislature. all of which was done against the earnest and unit ed opposition of the republican mem bers of the council
 Tn fairness to the territorial democ- racy, and in the interest of strict ae- curaey it should be said that the fam Ous resolution thus referred to was subsequently repudiated by the lower house of the legislature. And even the democratic members of the council consented afterward. we believe. to the expunging of the resolution.
 Of course, republicans do not attempt 
 tory with responsibility for that un- lucky resolution. Republicans and democrats alike have been and always will be opposed to joint statehood with New Mexico. The republican plat form does a service to the people of the territory. however. in directing their attention to the fact that the resolu- tion was adopted, and that q similar eXigency might again induce the demo cratic leaders to accept the proposed union with New Mexico. To state it bluntly, might not a like crisis lead MT. Smith again to assent to the ar rangement. as last resort?
 We say again" for we do not sup pose that responsibility for that resolu- tion can be shifted from Marcus A. Smith, then the delegate from this territory and now the democratic can didate for delegate. The history of the resolution is rather interesting. The democratic leader of the council Cdr. Ives) suddenly startled the cour- cil by offering the resolution, and ask ed for its immediate consideration on the ground of urgency. He took the floor, and in an urgent speech explain ed that the territory was confronted with a grave emergency; that he had just received a telegram which inform ed him that congress was about to ad- init the two territories as one state. and that Substantially it was neces- sary for Arizona to make the best terms possible. The speaker express ed his own repugnanee to the merger, but insisted that the council should adopt the resolution in order to reserve to Arizona some power in the premis- es. Certainly, the idea was conveyed that in offering the resolution he was acting at the suggestion of the author of the telegram-which telegram he said he was not at liberty to make pub lic-and everybody took it for granted that the author of the telegram was Delegate Smith.
 Afterward. it developed that the emergency was not nearly so great as Mir. Ives believed. and as his demo- cratic colleagues had been led to be- heve. It was false alarm. The dan ger was not imminent, and notwith- standing some pressure to the contra ". the democratic members of the low CT house joined with the republicans in refusing to adopt the council resolu- ton. Thereafter, we understand, MT Ives was left with the bag to hold. MT Smith, We understand, has undertaken to disclaim responsibility for the action of the council leader who at the time was Smiths business partner and close political associate. What MT. Ives thinks of MT. Smiths action would no doubt make mighty interesting read ing.
 Mir. Smith is earnestly opposed to union with New Mexico, of course. But suppose that the advocates of joint statehood in congress are again able to make a good blun, and are able to make Mir. Smith believe that he must accept the proposition and make the best terms possible?
 It is safer, we think, to elect MT. Fowler. MT. Fowler will stand against union with New Mexico, and will stand pat.