Bisbee daily review., 1904-09-21
STATEHOOD THE ISSUE.

tion last week in Phoenix adopted a wise course when it refused to allow the one political issue in Arizona this year to be clouded or dimmed by other matters which will be timely and nee essary after the statehood question has been settled for or against the au- tonomy of Arizona. The platform has dwarfed everything else that the real issue shall be rlaced squarely before the people of Arizona.
 The question which should be up- permcst in this campaign and which will be made uppermost by the Demo crats, is whether the people of Arizona will condemn the Republican proposi- tion to make one state of the two ter ritories of Arizona and New Mexico or whether they will approve the joint statehood bill passed by the Republi can congress at its last session.
 The vote in Arizona this fall will rightly be taken as an index to the pre- vailing sentiment in the territory on the proposed joint statehood bill which has passed the house and will be on the senate calendar next winter. The measure is one proposed by the lead CTS of the Republican party. approved by the president and endorsed by the National Republican convention, which ignored the mention of statehood for the territories in any form. If the vote of Arizona in November shall retain the same ratio as two years ago between the Republican and Dem ocratic candidates for Congress, then it will be taken that the joint state hood bill is not so objectionable as to cause the people to vote against the party which proposed it; should the Republican vote be increased in the territory, that result would be taken as an endorsement of the proposition to wipe Arizona from the map and put our people under the control and political domination of the citizens and political pirates of New Mexico. On the other hand, if the Republican can didate for Congress in Arizona is prac tically shut out in the political race this result will be taken as voicine the almost unanimous sentiment ol the people of Arizona against the iniq uitous Republican statehood bill.
 | If there ever was a time when the people of Arizona, regardless of poll tics, should stand together in defense of their rights as American citizens that time is the present. Democrats
 Republicans, Populists. Socialists ant
 all others of whatever faith or creed
 should vote for Mark Smith and h. their votes declare that Arizonans vii stand for no party or set of men wh'
 will approve a party that proposed t rob them of the heritage which the I have earned by developing and Qual flying the territory for single statehood
 Arizonans, regardless of what the
 may think of the issues involved i
 the National campaign, must stand u
 for Arizona, and the rights of the te ritory at this time. It will not do t say the Republicans of Arizona ar
 opposed to the merger statehood bil
 What the Republicans of Arizona wal and what the National party has a
 ready done in the matter of statehoc : for Arizona are two propositions, an |, it remains as a cold and uncontrovel |. able fact that every vote boiled for u
 Republican candidate for Congress l. Arizona in November will be countt
 as a vote endorsing the merger stat F. hood bill.
 e Let Arizonans stand together on tn ,- single issue, and by our practical unanimous voice in November put O
 seal of condemnation on the plotting
 ithe Rerublicans to destroy us