Albuquerque evening citizen., 1905-10-30
SENATOR A. J. BEVERIDGE
WRITES ON JOINT STATEHOOD
A Very Interesting Letter to Prominent Citizen of
Tucson, Arizona. on important
Subject

zona the Great are men of all par
ties. For this is not a partisan mat
ter. All who think upon this question
must remember that this is an AFFAIR
of all the ages. For when Arizona
the Great" is admitted she will be i'm
mortal. She will be S immortal as
the nation is immortal. Once a state
always a state. other laws can he re-
pealed. but that law can never De re-
pealed. nor even modified. Other
problems that are pressing before the
minds of men will be solved and their
places will be taken by other prob
lens still more pressing, but the So
luton Of the question of statehood,
when IL is worked out, will be as
fixed as the flag itself. | ask every
man and woman in Arizona to re-
member that you are not dealing with
today alone. but with all the future.
| ask every man and woman to re-
member that the solution OF this ques-
ton of statehood does not affect them
alone, but their children and their
childrens children for all time to
come. Let every father and mother
in Arizona ask themselves this ques-
tion: Would it be best for our chill
dren and for their children. to be citi-
zens of one magnificent and well nign
matchless commonwealth than OF two
sparsely settled states? Let every
patriot ask himself this question:
Which would have been the best, the
creation of two states out of Calitor-
mia instead of one; of five states out
of Texas instead of one; of two states
out of Arizona the Great instead OF
one?
So clear and overwhelming are all
the arguments in this cause that
believe no matter how strong may
have been the appeal to passion and
prejudice, the majority of the people
of Arizona would today favor the
creation of Arizona the Great And
| have not the slightest doubt but
that the majority will be overwhelm'
ing by the time congress shall meet
The cost to the people OF maintaining
one state government instead of two
will be Just half of what it would be
were they separate states. THIS Is
clear upon the face of the statement
The distance to the state capital will
be shorter than those of Texas, Cali
fornia. and even of Kansas or Ne
braska, to their state capitals. The
two territories are naturally one; one
in topography, one in history, one
in destiny. What New Mexico lacks
Arizona supplies. United they stand
supplying every want Of their citizens
from within their own borders anc
world to themselves, capable OF
of helping sustain the nation w:,lout
Divided, they are still necessary tC
each other, and yet, while thus nee
essary, they are separated by an alb
surd and unnatural boundary line
with two sets of officers and commits
sions, drawing from the pockets of thi
people two sets of salaries for the
performance of that work which {
single set of officers and commission
ought to do, and will do when one
state is created out of these two terri
tories.
| started out this letter merely tt
give you line of congratulation, bu
| have proceeded until it has grown
into it's present proportions. But the
reasons are so numerous and tht
cause which they support so inspiring
that one cannot help being earnes
in it's advocacy.
With kind regards and best wishes
| am, sincerely,
A. ]. BEVERIDGE.