The copper era., 1905-06-08
Convention Platform.

WHEREAS, We have reasons to fear that at the coming session of Congress an attempt will be made to enact a law providing for the admis- sion into the Union jointly as one State of the Territories of Arizona and New Mexico, and
 WHEREAS, We have been author ized and directed by the people of Arizona to give an expression of their views in regard to such pro- posed union, now therefore be it
 RESOLVED, That the people of Ari- zona are unalterably opposed to the union of Arizona with New Mexico
 And on their behalf we do earn estly protest against the enactment of the proposed measure by the Con- gress of the United States, or of any measure which has for it's purpose the admission of Arizona into the Union as a part of any other State or Territory.
 And, believing that all govern ments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, we urge the Congress to heed this expression of the sentiments of our people on this question and to listen to some of the reasons why we will never con sent to the-proposed union.
 Our people feel just pride in their history, prosperity, develop ment and high civilization, and con fdently look to the future for the realization, through the development of our wonderful resources and by reason of the splendid energy and character of our citizenship, of a still higher civilization and more general prosperity and to the time near at hand, when our wealth, popu- lation and, development, to single Statehood must be recognized by the whole people of America.
 We entertain for the people of our sister Territory, New Mexico, the kindliest feelings, and sympathize with them in their efforts for admis- sion as State to the Union. Yet, we profoundly believe that the union of the two Territories as one State would be inimical to the best and highest interests of the people of both and because of the geographical divisions which naturally divide and separate us, such union would be par ticularly harmful to the people of Arizona.
 We believe that the complications which would inevitably result from an attempt to adjust impartially the burdens of the debts of the Terri tories and of the various counties und municipalities thereof, would result in irreconcilable differences and that the prosperity and welfare of the various Territorial institutions, edu- cational, eleemosynary and reforma- ory, would be endangered and their usefulness destroyed.
 We further believe it would be inn possible to adopt such code of laws as would meet the conditions in each Territory, and yet which would be just to the whole people of the pro- posed State. We further represent that political autonomy is the dear est wish and hope of our people, and the stimulus of much of our work, labor and effort in the establishment of institutions which have for their object the education of our children and the care and maintenance of the unfortunate, in the improvement and growth of our material interests, and in the development of our dis tinctive type of civilization; and that the loss of this autonomy would de- stroy our hope, discourage effort, confuse our purposes for the future, retard our development and perma- nently injure us as people.
 To be compelled against our will and desire to lose our identity and to be merged into the proposed State in which we would have so little voice, wounds our pride and violates our sense of justice and fairness.
 Therefore, as a patriotic and law abiding people, we confidently appeal to the Congress of the United States to avert the disaster that threatens us, and rather than force upon us this proposed union, to allow us to remain a Territory indefinitely.