The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1905-02-03
news for IDlA0AhS.
Weekly Letter From Wash
HEPBURN ON STATEHOOD.
Arguments = Admit Arizona
and New Mexico singly.
ington. D. G.

Argumsnts to Admit Arizona
and New Mexico Singly.
Senator Hepburn addressed the
Senate last week on the Statehood
bill. Joint-statchood for Arizona
and New Mexico is being fought by
ali the democratic senators and most
OF the western republican senators,
and it is not very likely that the biil
as II now stands, will become a law.
It 10 looked upon AS = measure M
keep dawn the representation OF the
west, aad its chief advocates are the
Senators from the eastern states. and
more especially from New EnglAnd,
Western Senator's are deterasined
thst the great territories lathe south!
west shall be given single statehood,
n statehood ut all, and the principal
argument Of Senator Hepburn was
directed At this point. lie claimed
that the wonderful natural resources
at these two territories entitled them
70 admission as single states. And
speAking Of this, he said: II believe
IT would he an unholy thing fpr Con.
xress to close the door Of just repre-
sentsti0n upun so large Q territory.
1t would be as much Of an outrage In
this period Of the existence Of the
Government as it would have been to
have made the Northwest Territory
one state, with two senators. I speak
IA no invidious sense when ! compare
this condition with thatof New Eng
land, with twelve senators IN this
body; and New England is 1000 Sc.
miles smaller than the single state in
which I live. I have 40 desire to les
sen the representation or the power
Of New England In this body or In
the other. It aas been q great inau-
{, cnce aud power for the good OF the
country and the civilization Of the
world. But we are dealing here with
\ practical question, and we must rid
It Of its sentiment. Il goes to the
future, not to the present. The Ter.
ritories OF Arizona and New Mexico
have over 400, 900 people within thei'
bor.iers. They have 4 permanent pop.
ulation almost as large as that Of an,
Of the original thirteen states. except
Virginia, when they were admitted
into the Union, and larger than mos
OF them. Shall we shut IL of today
xs though it had no future? Tha'
would not reflect credit upon the in
telligence Of this legislative body.
.sTo close the door forever agains,
this area of The United States u
large rs four of the great centra
Mississippi States, 10 the representa-.
tion 10 the United States Senate
would be tn do an injustice that w
can never undo.
"The question is, Are you going !.
close this door upon that section Q
the country? How many senator
and how many representatives hav
ever seen IT, and how many seeing II
In the light 0f their experience, cOul
estimate II correctly as to its possibi
itics in the future? The people livin
there went there because they ha
faith in it.and hey stay 10 1t becau.
they have proven their faith. Ariz0I
has shown a larger percentage I
growth in the last ten years than ar
state that lies along this ocean; Ne
Mexico the same. Leave them
grow. Do not close the door on thel
DO MT do anything with them no
II they are not fitted for statehood.
y 1.-THE southern portion Of Idah
which has been paradci upon Il
maps Of the United States for u
last twelve years as Snake River De
crt, with dots over 1t as they tndica
the deserts Of Africa, Is today bei
placed under water and 10 destined
be'ons OF the most fertile gard
'spots Of the world. We have 5000
900 sheep, 500, 900 head Of cattle,
vsst number of horses living up
vvhaf. has heen termed the stdesert
ldxhos" aud now, through tho vi
action OF Congress, the reclamati
act comes to our relief, and we
bringIng millions Of acres Of land =
der water aud under cultivation"
ls Copgrsssrnsn French has secured
fsyorablk report on his bill approx
.c-.l- - - 80. faSl