Arizona republican., 1905-01-14


 from it. Every paragraph was a blow
 a convincing showing as to the send-
 ment of the people of this territory on
 the question. Every channel of infor-
 nation, he contended. brought the same tale-the unalterable opposition
 of the people to the bill and their pref
 erence to remain in territorial vas salage for years as the alternative. | Senator Beveridge inquired what in jury would be done by giving the peo- pie a chance to vote on the proposition, at any rate. As the senator from In diana put it,
 Accepting at it's face value, and more, the statement of the senator from California, upon the au7 thority which he cites in support of it, that the people of Arizona are practi- cally a unit against this bill, and the statement which he quotes from the governor of New Mexico that the peo- pie of New Mexico are practically a unit against the bill, I ask the senator what harm can come from submit ting this question to the people them selves. and letting the people them selves say at the ballot box whether they do or not. and whether or not that would be a more accurate expres- sion of their desires than the state ments of governors appointed over them? 9"
 Senator Bard asserted that it was not alone from official and personal sources that he had his information. It was not alone from Governor Brodie, ex-Governor Murphy. Chief Justice Kent, Delegate Wilson and other men Of prominence, in and out of office, who voiced the sentiments of the peo- pie of Arizona. The newspapers of the territory were unanimously against the bill, as was the bar association and every avenue of expression. He then answered Senator Beveridge in this masterly fashion:
 ''It is said that it is not the purpose of this bill to compel Arizona to unite with New Mexico into one state, but that it simply gives the people of the two territories the privilege and Oppor ! tunity of coming into the union in that ! manner, if they desire to do so.
 But this is Heterogeneous and mis-
 
 delegates. Arizona cast only 19,667 | votes and New Mexico cast 43,011 ! votes. while Arizona has only 31,677 ! registered voters, and New Mexico ! has 64.422 registered voters; and there . fore it is plain that under the scheme ! of this bill the fate of Arizona depends . not upon her own people, but upon | the wishes and interests of the cleo ] tors of New Mexico.
 'The bill substantially proposes an ! arbitrary submission to the electors of ! the two territories jointly. the question Arizona (which has been as sured by congress of a separate au- tonOmy) shall, without the consent of her people, be joined with New Mexico in a new state. Even though the vote of Arizona should be cast unanimous ly against the adoption of the pro- posed constitution, nevertheless it would be within the power of the vot- CTS of New Mexico to force upon Ari- zona people the acceptance of the new state government.
 "The measure proposes to give Ari- zona a representation in the constitu- tional convention of only A delegates, II while New Meico, whose separate au- tonomy is in no degree superior to that Il of Arizona is given a representation | of 66 delegates. Such ratio of 3 to is based upon the aggregate population of the two territories; but the inequaI- ity in representation in the convention of the two political entities would be I unjust"
 The senator also hit the bulls eye Il when he quoted from the organic act Il of the territory. showing that a sacred co,,,yoc+ avie+e La+-,-oo,, 1or, cr,-o.. or5 promising that when the ter ritory is admitted it shall be as a sep arate state
 You will look in vain he exclaim- II ed, flor any similar provision if you expect to find it in any of the acts ere ating territories passed since 1922. You must go back and examine the ordi- nance of 17S7 or the acts creating the separate territories of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, originally parts of the territory northwest of the Ohio. to find any legislation by congress which in the least resembles it.
 This second provision in the act ere ating the territorial government of Arizona is remarkable in that it is the only legislation since the beginning of our government which recognizes, in express terms. the right of the people of any territory, sooner or later, to form a state government and apply for and obtain admission into the state as 3 state. Indeed, the subject of state hood is not even mentioned in any oth- er act creating a territorial govern nent except in the acts creating the territories or New Mexico, Kansas and Nebraska; and in them the only refer ence to statehood is in the proviso" Gas to slavery).
 It is not surprising that Senator Beveridge admitted, after the close of he speech, that it was the ablest ar sument he had ever heard on the state hood question.
 If the pending bill is defeated much of the honor will belong to Senator Bard. and the legislature of Arizona