The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-12-12

rate statehood afesble and rather con
temptible minority
With New Mexico and Arizona the
case Is different Strong forces are ar
ray q in them "a prevent joint state
hood and to hold out to the end for the
creation Of two separate states Local
bosses who would rather see four sen
ators chosen than two, corporation in
terests which hope to control those
senators, local mining interests IN Aii.
zona which are now practically un.axed
and which think they could control
state Of Arizona alone. but fear that II
Arizona and New Mexico are combin
ed they would be given fair taxation
which is what they do not want-all Of
these are fghting hard against joint
statehood.
The main argument they have used
is that the people Of Arizona, and to a
large extent the people Of New Mexico.
are hostile to union. The Ar1zonans
we are told are united to a man in
their antipathy to the New Mexican
"greasers." It would be an Outrage
the argument runs. TO subject these
American citizens to "greaser" control
Il would hinder the future development
Of Arizona. for Americans would never
settle in a 'greaser" state
This argument has been overdone
Int is becoming Increasingly apparent
that the seemingly ananimous sent
ment Of Arizona is simply the sent
ment Of small portion Of the Ari
zonans which has been cleverly
brought into prominence, while the op-
posing sentiment has been as cleverly
hidden away out of sight by the cor
poration-boss clique We have before
us copies of a number Of Arizona and
New Mexico papers which are now ad.
vocating joint statehood. Some Of
them would prefer single statehood.
but all urge that IL that is impossible
joint statehood Is greatly, to be desired
at as early a date as possible Among
these papers are the Albuquerque
Morning Journal, the Tucson Star, the
Arizona Weekly Star, the Mckinley
Republican and the St Johns Herald
and Apache News.
If a pure consideration of merits
were to decide there are strong reasons
! why neither Arizona nor New Mexico
should be admitted to statehood at this
tins. Even in combination they might
well remain longer in the territorial
: stage. But wider considerations make
! It highly desirable that joint statehood
= should now be granted. These two
territories will be the only ones lei
within our continental domain. A sen
y timental pressure to bring them in ant
4 so complete the period of state max
= ing will be strong. But much mor'
important than this is the certaint,
that whenever the party in power IL
u congress is the one that can hope t.
. capture all four senators from tn,
Y region it win create two states there
u for purely temporary partisan pur
: poses utterly regardless OF the rights
u and wrongs and OF the merits and de
. merits of the case. Past history show
E only too conclusively that this vii
g happen.
g To avoid the almost inevitable evi
Il of two rotten borough states in tn
c future, It IL desirable to create on,
4 single state now and have the matte
settled. It is the only safe way. w
J. have too many rotten borough state
u already Each one is a grievous iniur.
q to the whole nation Let us protec
/ ourselves now. No consideration o
II the sentimental desires, real or fan
y eled, Of a handful Of residents of thes
n territories should be allowed to stan,
u in the way