Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-07-01
CONSTITUTION A COMPROMISE
JUST AS JOINT STATEHOOD
From the St. Johns, Aris Herald.

student OF the political history OF our country, in the
following article fayors Joint Statehood.
Students Of political history affirm that the constitu-
ton of the United States was a compromise between the
representatives of the thirteen original states framing
that great instrument and a series of compromises be-
tween the states themselves. All agreed that there was
need for a closer bond of union than that contained In
the original Articles of Confederation framed during the
storm and stress of the Revolution. Without some such
closer bond there was danger of disintegration and con
hict between the states, which could not fail to be taken
into advantage by Great Britain to again invade Ameri-
ca and compass reconquest. The general government
which was in realty but little more than a Congressional
committee, had no independent revenue, and for its run
ming expenses had to depend upon contributions levied
by Congress upon the various states, which contribu-
lions were never promptly paid. Individual states
levied tariff taxes upon imports from other states, caus-
ing friction, Inconvenience and restraint upon trade
Conflicting claims of the various states in the region
west of the Allegheny mountains caused strife and con-
tention, reaching the very verge of open war. The fore
going category presents but a small portion of the evils
under which the American people suffered in the period
between the end Of the Revolutionary war and the adop-
ton of the constitution. ALI felt that a new fabric
Of government should be contrived. That feeling led to
he calling and assembling of a constitutional conven-
ton at Philadelphia, in 1887.
But when the delegates from the various states met
and organized there Immediately developed a wide d.
gersity of opinion as to the necessary form and scope
Of the proposed new charter of government. The small
states were apprehensive of the growing might and
power of those larger. The southern states feared the
growth of the abolition sentiment, which had already
shown itself in the north and they feared that sentiment
might achieve so great a weight that slavery would be
terminated, to the great loss and detriment of the people
Of those states where the labor system embraced human
bondage; while there were in the convention delegates
who wished the proposed fundamental law to provide
for final extinction of slavery. These are but a few OF
the diverse views and interests with which the dele
gatess faced one another on the floor of the convention.
To concede everything asked by any one state would
have Immediately prevented approval by all the rest.
So with profound wisdom and splendid craftsmanship
he delegates framed a charter which was a system of
compromises. The small states were pacifed by crea-
lion of a bicameral legislative assembly, in one cham
Ger of which all states should have equal representation
where the original proposition was for a single iegisla-
i've chamber, with representation based upon popula-
ion. The growing abolition sentiment was appeased
With a limitation placed upon the African slave trade,
and the slave states were satisfied by having the regu-
Iation of domestic service left to the various states.
dany more compromises can be enumerated that were
included in the instrument. AS framed the consttu-
lion was not entirely acceptable to any single state.
But to make it in a measure acceptable to al, the dele
gates from each and every state had abandoned some
cherished feature they wanted put into the proposed
fundamental law, and had accepted many things they
did not want.
When completed the constitution went to the vari-
Gus states for ratification. Generally conventions were
elected by the people of those states to consider the
instrument and decide whether it should be ratified by
the states. Ratification by nine was necessary to Sc
cure adoption of the instrument and set up the govern
ent it provided. In many instances there prevailed the
utmost hostility to ratification. When the New York
convention assembled at Albany to consider the ques-
lion of ratification or rejection, Alexander Hamilton, VINO
had been a delegate to the constitutional convention in
! Philadelphia, found himself the leader of a fororn hope
contending at desperate odds against an overwhelming
majority. But he bent himself to the herculean task,
addressed the convention several hours daily through
| several weeks, and by the sheer force OF his genius Sc
cured a majority for ratification. In his argument he
admitted the constitution was not what he wanted, MOI
was it entirely what was wanted by the people of New
York. But it was the best they could get, and he con
tended that it would be better to accept that and ratify
than to longer endure the evils OF which they complained
More than nine states extended their Publications al
most simultaneously. Their conventions were all in
session at about the same time). New York was the
eighth to ratify. But some of them Jagged and were
later in doing so. Rhode Island withheld ratification fol-
seven years, and did not enter the Union until 1894
Her people required that time to determine whether they
would accept the terms of union presented and accepted
by the rest of the states.
Lo, these many years the people of Arizona and New
Mexico have importuned the people of the states to give
them a chance to frame state governments and ratlf!
the Constitution of the United States, becoming thereb!
full fedged American states. Heretofore that importunit!
has been neglected and ignored. Finally the people o
the states, in Congress assembled, have taken notice o
the Importantly and have proposed a compromise. The,
are not willing to admit two states, with Jointly les
than half a million population, TO have twice the votini
strength in the United States senate than has New fori
with eight millions, Pennsylvania with seven millions
or Illinois and Ohio with five millions each. To ge
the Constitution ratified and the Union created NeN
York, Pennsylvania and other large states were wilin
: to let into the Union upon equal terms in the senat
the small states of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Cor
, necticut, Delaware, Maryland, etc. Those states ha
to be induced to enter the compact. Without theI
there could have been no Union, and chaos threatened
But now things are different, The Union is an accom-
plished fact. States have to be cajoled to enter tn
t Union no longer. Several states have twice the popl
n lation the entire thirteen had In 1887. And the state
l. that were then small have now populations fully as grea
d as New York and Pennsylvania had then, while many
the states since admitted have more people than had tn
IS entire country at the time of adoption of the Constt
is ton. Yet Arizona and New Mexico united would hay
h but little more population than what was the averae
a OF a state when the Constitution was adopted. The pc
pie of the states have been thinking of these facts veI
seriously, and they will not consent to admission
these two territories separately. There is all thel
1t is to it. And the longer the matter is postponed tn
more pronounced and more widely extended will /
lie the dissent Of the states. Arizona and New MexiC
ID shnuld not forget that the population of all the gre.