Arizona republican., 1905-10-30

purpose of exhibiting the kind Of argU rnents employed by eastern joint state hood advocates:
 eve may be sure that the joint state hood bill of which Senator Beveridge is the champion in the upper house of the federal legislature, but which fail ed last winter to become a law, will be again pressed with energy in the first session of the Fifty ninth con gress. and there is reason to fear that it may be resisted with equal vigor, though from motives unavowable. The bill provides, it will be remembered, for the admission of the territories of New Mexico and Arizona to the union as single state, and of Oklahoma and In dian Territory as another state. IL is of urgent moment that the American people should become thoroughly alive to the merits of this measure, and should impress the duty of recognizing them on their rep resenatives in congress. The bill is just bill, conveived in the in- terest of the country as a whole, as well as of the four territories directly concerned. No objection can be made to it that is not local, selfish, or cor rupt. Iris we found it easy to demon strate last winter, when the measure was under discussion, but it may be well to restate the facts clearly and succinctly at this time when another resolute attempt to pass a righteous bill $ impending.
 Let us look first at the part of the joint statehood bill which contemplates the admission of Arizona and New Mexico to the union, not as separate states, but as one state. As we form e-ly pointed out, the population of Ari- zona, according to the last census, was less than 123,0OO, and that of New Mexico less than 196,OOO. To permit an aggregate population of less than 320,- 900 to be represented in the United States senate by four senators would be glamngly unjust to New York and Pennsylvania, which in 1900 had be- tween them more than 1S,5T0,0G0 in habitants: or to Illinois and Ohio, which in the same year had nearly g. 000,000 inhabitants; or to Missouri and Texas, which according to the same census, had between them nearly G. 20O,00 inhabitants. Yet it is not diff cult to understand why certain rail- way and mining interests would de- sire to see Arizona and New Mexico acquire a representation in the senate out Of all proportion to their coIlcctive population. The railways which are i'm
 
 and Arizona the largest possible num- Der of voices and votes in the United States senate are the Santa Fe, the Southern Pacific. and the network of mining railroads in the Iast-named ter ritory. Not only these railways. but all the other railways in the United States wish to have in the United States sen ate the largest possible number of sen ators who will do their bidding.
 Tn the judgment of men well in formed as to local conditions. the rail roads would have no difficulty. provid- ed Arizona and New Mexico should be admitted as separate states, in con- trolling the election of senators, and would thus secure four additional agents in the United States senate. On the other hand, if the two territories should be admitted as one state, it is doubtful whether the railroads could control the election of even a single senator and in any event they would gain only two senators instead of four. It was to be expected therefore, that the railroads would leave nothing un- done to defeat the admission of these two territories as one state, and. on the other hand would do everything they could to bring about their admts- sion as two states. Against the state hood bill are also srrayed the mining interests, from motives not avowed. but equally unmistakable. For years the territorial legislature of Arizona has been trying to pass a buIlion-tax law, which would compel mining interests to pay part of the just debts owed by them to the territory. With less than 44,O00 voters in the territory, however. of which not 25,OOO are Americans by birth, it has not been difficult for the mining interests. combined with the railroads, to control the Arizona Iegis- lature. They know, at the same time. that if Arizona and New Mexico were united in a single state their domina- ton would be doomed. Consequentlv. the mining interests are determined that Arizona shall he admitted as a single state, or else retain the status Of a territory.
 It IS satisfactory to learn, nevertho- 'ess' that, during the last year. the cause of joint statehood has made not- able progress in Arizona itself, as well as in New Mexico. At least four Ari- zona newspapers are now advocatinc the Joint statehood bill. to wit. the No gales Oasis, the Tucson Daily Star, the S'. Johns News Herald, and the Co., c"ljno Sun, published at Flagstaff. Tn New Mexico the same measure is s1ip- ported by the Daily Citizen, the Morn ing Journal and the Industrial Adevr- user, all published at Albuquerque; the Las Cruces Citizen; the AIamogo~d1 ouIhaI; the Roswell Daily Record; the Silver City Enterprise and the Silver City Independent; the Springer Stock man; the Carlsbad Current; La Voz del Pueblo, published at Las Vegas. and tn. M Mckinley County Republican, publish ed at Gallup
 Nor should we omit to mention that "ithlh twelvemonth ten or fifteen leading men of Arizona have beer. con- Fefted to belief in joint statehood. and are urging the adoption of the measure III letters to the press and speeches. on the stump. This is encouraging: for the statehood bill has no selfish inter eSts behind it, and is commended to acceptance by truth and justice alone.