The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-11-14

WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. IL
A red hot fight, which has been
waging in the southwestern part
of the United States, will be the
basis of one of the warmest-dis-
cussed questions in congress this
winter.
Strong opposition is developing
to the passage of the so-called
joint-statehood bill, by which Ariz-
ona and New Mexico would be
admitted to the Union as a single
state. while Indian Territory and
Oklahoma would make another
state.
Arizona is the origin of the
strongest antagonism. The com
mittee of congressman who recent
~ visited that territory in a spe-
cial train. have come back full of
the feeling that the Beyeridge bill
must be defeated at any cost. They
are making converts in the house,
and it is even intimated that
Speaker Cannon has been won over.
Meantime Senator Beveridge is
busy getting ready to push his bill,
and he has given his word that
he will pass the two-state bill the
first business of the coming ses-
sion. He also has the advantage
that President Roosevelt is favor
ably disposed to this bill.
The citizens of Arizona say they
have changed their minds about
statehood. Two years ago they
wanted it. Now, if New Mexico
is to be part of their state they
would rather remain territory.
That is the whole story SO far
as Arizona is concerned. Joint
statehood means for Arizona being
linked to New Mexico, which has
400,0 900 population as compared
with Arizona's 10000. The larger
population Of New Mexico is GA per
cent iliterate, while Arizona's pop
ulation has as high a percentage
OF literacy as any in the United
States. The Arizonians say the il
literate and irresponsible would
vote the taxes ana elect the repre-
sentatives. This scares the people
with valuable mining and other
property in Arizona.
New Mexico is favorable to joint
statehood. Albuquerque would be
come the capital of the joint state
after few years.
When Senator Quay was making
the fight for statehood for New
Mexico he was generally under.
stood to be moved by a financial
motive. His former henchman
W, H. C'Bull") Andrews, who has
recently acquired notoriety in con
nection with the demise of the En-,
terprise bank in Pittsburg, was as
ISOLATED with him in the scheme to
float the Central Mexico railroad
scheme, for which the late banks
funds were used. If New Mexico
were made state, the road could
be bonded, the bonds being rati
fed by the state government, and
it was part of the program that
Androu-c IN to hn
senate.
With the collapse of the Pitts.
burg bank, the Santa Fe railroad
terminated its option on the An.
drews road, and that venture has
about collapsed. With it passes
that motive for admitting New
Mexico as a state.
Indian Territory has developed
an opposition of its own to the
joint statehood project. This ter
ritory feels that 1t would be sub
ordinated to Oklahoma, and II
wants to be recognized as a sep
arate state.
The principal motive which
makes for the passage of the Bev
eridge joint statehood bill is fount
In the senate itself.
Lets settle this statehood bust
ness now" is the argument of the
senate. Lets settle 1t on a basi.
which will admit four new mem
bers to the United States senate
and not eight. Individual state
hood would add eight members t
the senate. increasing the infuenc,
OF the west and breaking into tn,
close corporation which we nov
have. Some of the new senator
are likely to be democratic. If SO
the fewer the better"
Thus the reasons which move tn
senate are largely political an
purely selfish.