Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-02
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

TO explain why 1t Is necessary to force
| Arizona and New Mexico into the Union to-
| gether, when an overwhelming majority of
| the population of both territories are OPP
posed to it.
Senator Beveridge who has charge of
| the BILL takes the ground that the in ha hi
tants of the territories have nothing what
ever to say about the matter: that the Con-
| sAtutlon confers upon Congress the au-
thority to make states whenever it likes,
out OF any material 1t has at hand, with
out reference to the wishes of those most
| Interested That responsibility, he says,
must be exercised with view to the future
ana not to the present, and Congress, and
particularly his committee, by some power
of clvlnation, Is able TO determine what Is
pest for the welfare of future immigrants
to the territories well as for the present
population.
Oklahoma and Indian Territory
Nobody denies the claims of Oklahoma,
but the fitness of Indian Territory for state
hood is very much in doubt. The President
and the committee will merge the two into
a single state, on the theory that the popu-
lation of the one will neutralze that of the
other; but those who are most familiar with
their political complexion are confident that
Mr.. Beveridge and the republicans will
| wake up some morning and find that they
have increased the democratic electoral vote
and the strength of that party In both
houses of Congress.
A letter recently received from Muskogee
says: I'VE all believe over here that Okla
roma Is more strongly democratic than In
dian Territory, but the party leaders have
whipped the democrats into voting the re-
publican ticket until they get statehood
What a vindication for US maligned people
on this side of the line, If time does prove
that we are more faithful to the republican
party than the people to whose interests
we are compelled by Congress to yield
everything. 1t fairly makes my blood boil
to see tie workings OF the system of mis-
representation, cajolery and intimidation
that has been used to present real and
true expression Of the hopes and desires
of the people living In Indian Territory, but
no factor has been so great In bringing
about this condition the fact that the
President himself has declared for joint
statehood
The people of Indian Territory and Okla
homa have practically settled down into
submission to the will of the President and
the republican senators. but 30 If not %
per cent of the population of Arizona and
New Mexico will be heard from against
joint statehood before Congress has time to
pass the bill. Petitions will come from both
territories, begging Congress not to force
joint statehood upon an unwilling people;
and they must have their effect. Commit
tees from both territories will come to
Washington shortly after the holidays to
protest against the Beveridge bill. And
you may be sure that nobody will come
from either territory to ask dts passage, ex-
cept a delegation from Albuquerque, which
hopes to be the joint capital, and some
others who are personally interested
Members of House Investigate.
During the past summer several influential
members of the House of Representatives
have been down there to investigate the
situation for themselves. and every one of
them has come back convinced that neither
New Mexico nor Arizona Is ready for state
hood, and that the population of both is
almost unanimously against the passage of
the joint statehood bill.
Thinking men of both the territories who
have no selfish interests at stake have sug-
gested that the best solution of the prob
lem is to postpone the agitation of state
hood for the next five years. and then Con
gress can take up the matter again and do
what seems to be right.
East Lacks knowledge Of West.
Mr.. James Graham McNary, editor of the
Las Vegas, n. NJ, Daily Optic. who was in
town last week to protest to the President
against joint statehood for New Mexico
and Arizona, told some queer things to IL
lustrate the ignorance of the eastern people
concerning his part of the country. He
showed me a clipping from Boston daily
newspaper, dated November 13 last, which
gave table Showing the places of resi-
dence in foreign countries of graduates of
the Johns Hopkins Medical School. Listed
with China "a, India (2) and Bolivia %;
the territory of New Mexico, as foreign
country, is credited with one graduate. But
ern people write down there to ask the rates
of duty charged on imports into the United
States, and travellers getting OH the trains
at Las Vegas, Santa Fe and Albuquerque
frequently Inquire for the custom house. 1t
is common for travellers in New Mexico to
stick five-cent postage stamps on letters
to the United States; and yet these same
people undertake to express opinions con-
corning the propriety Of admitting New
Mexico and Arizona to the Union.
Mr. McNary says that twelve newspapers
s1f,, stu 1t,. ODD of
which seven are democratic and are actu-
ated by purely political motives. and three
published at Albuquerque, which ex-
poets to be the capital Of the Joint state
If the bill is passed.
Arguments in Opposition.
Some people would kick if they were
about to be hung said Mr.. M,Nary ear
nestly. "A great majority of the people Of
Arizona and New Mexico are bitterly OPP
posed to jointure. Business interests, rail-
road interests, mining interests, political in
terests. church interests. educational inter-
ests unite In protesting against this UNI
welcome union.
why do the educational interests oppose
It? Because we would have two state uni
versities, two agricultural colleges, four
normal schools. Some Of these would nee
essarily be disrupted and the labor of years
overthrown In the consolidating process
which would follow. Half of our cities
would be forced to give UP institutions
which our people cherish and which stand
for culture, refinement and enlightenment In
their communities. The factor Of distance
would remove educational opportunities far
Their from the reach of their boys and girls.
1T Is fact that the Presbyterian synod,
which takes in Arizona and New Mexico and
met in Las Vegas in November was almost
to a man opposed to jointure, and would have
passed resolution to that effect but for
feeling that 1t was not appropriate why
do they oppose 1t? Because they have en-
countered the obstacles Of distance and ex-
pense In holding their assemblies and ir-
respective OF the statehood proposition. seri-
ously considered taking steps to separate
into two synods. The Methodist confer
ence of Arizona and New Mexico meeting
In Silver City In November, did pass me-
mortal against jointure
Business interests oppose II. Whyf For