Arizona republican., 1905-11-29
PHoENIX, ARIZONA. NOV. 20. 1905
Pooling With Constitutions.

The latest issue of the Nogales Oasis abounds in an article setting forth the views of it's editor, Col. Allen T. Bird, which he doubtless intended to incorporate into his argument with Col J. F. Wilson on the subject of joint statehood of which Col. Bird is the foremost of the half dozen Ari- zona advocates.
 Col. Bird advances nine reasons, (though he says that is only a few of them) why Arizona would be benefited by joint statehood. Presuming that they nave been advanced in the order of their importance, the first one should be considered first.
 Joint statehood, says Col Bird, would give the joint state of Arizona a new, flexible and amendable consti- tuition in place of the present rigid and obsolete fundamental law which has done service with a single repair, as the constitution for Arizona since 1864 and which was then second hand having served as the constitution of successive territories since 17S7.
 It may be said in defense of our constitution that it is not necessarily inflexible, that it has been amended by congress when congress has found 1t to the interest of the territory to amend it and that no doubt it would be so amended again. The fact is that We have less daily need of a consti- tuition than We imagine. A constitu- tion is a sheet anchor, to be used only in cases of emergency The restric- tions and limitations of the organic act have. we believe, been invariably healthy. Our constitution has stood in the way of much foolish legislation, to which Arizona legislatures have been prone and to which the legisla- lures of the joint state of Arizona might be equally prone. This terri tory has never suffered by lack of legislation, though it has been at times the worse of for surfeit of it.
 The Republican trusts that Col. Bird will not see in the foregoing defense of the organic act which he despises, an argument in favor of a perpetual continuance of it. We believe the peo- pie of this territory could now be trusted with a new constitution, sub ject to needed changes at their own hands. We know though that they do not want a constitution which may be amended by the preponderating vote of the people of New Mexico as such a constitution as Col. Bird has in mind would De. The time has come when Arizonians can trust them selves in their own hands but not in the hands of their brethren in the cas- tern half of the proposed new state
 This distrust of the voters of New Mexico does not argue that the people on this side of the line are wanting in respect and good feeling toward them. It has been pointed out as an argument against joint statehood that the interests of Arizonians are quite different from those of New Mexicans This has been admitted as an argu- ment in favor of joint statehood by the Arizona Star, which made Sena- tor Beverdge say, and mas since said it often itself, What New Mexico lacks Arizona supplies.
 The widely different interests of the two sections of the proposed state would certainly, somewhere or other conflict. Then would as certainly en- sue legislation which would favor the New Mexican interests. We think it Is better and we believe that ninety nine of every hundred voters in this territory believe it Is better for us that our legislation be directed by congress, a disinterested party, than by New Mexico, an adversely interested party.
 We would like new constitution ourselves, as an accessory of separate statehood-a constitution that we can amend ourselves when 1t needs amending. We believe that the time is not far distant when we will have such constitution, when congress will turn over to .Arizonians it's power to regulate this region and not sur render it to New Mexico.