Arizona republican., 1905-12-22
The Track isn't Clear.

The Hartford Courant predicts the wreck of the joint-statehood scheme, punctures the cry of lobby against the bill and expresses a deep solicitude lest President Roosevelts growing in- terest in the game of politics obscure his old fashioned notions of honesty and justice.
 The Courant says: "A week ago .his morning The Arizona Republican re- ported to it's readers that the trade of Prsident Roosevelt was encounter ing opposition wherever the real con ditions in the southwestern territories were understood.
 Tuesday of this week the New York Tribune's' Washington cores pondent reported that it had been de- cided to corral the republican mem bers of the house iE a party caucus and make the Hamilton joint-statehood bill a party measure.
 "Obstructions on the track are re- sponsible for many derailments. The obstruction in this instance was Taw- uGS OI MlIllGSOld, lllt llCW Clelllilcil4 OA the appropriations committee. Ee vis- ited Arizona and New Mexico not long ago, and studied the conditions for himself He saw that to force an American and English-speaking popu- lation against its will into political un- ion with a predominantly Mexican and Spanish-sTeaking population twice its size, in order to make a new state 235, ,38O square miles in extent (tnat is. bigger by 10000 square miles and more than Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Con- necticut put together), would be a fol- ly as we'll as an outrage. When he was asked to sign the call for the proposed party caucus, he put char acteristic emphasis into his refusal by telling the circulators for signatures that he wouldn't enter the caucus if it was held, and that he woul1n't be bound by any action it might take. Braced up by his example, other re- publican members said that they wouldn't. After hurried consultations, the promoters dropped the caucus scheme like a hot potato A conference of the republican members was held Thursday afternoon instead. The vote on the Hamilton joint-statehoOd bill In this conference was 11O to G, and every republican member who voted in the minority is as free to oppose the bill in the house as he was before. If the 65 hold together solidly and stub bornly, the bill is beaten.
 "Even if they don't and it passes the house Senator FOraker is waiting for it with an amendment in the nature of a referendum. He will ask the senate to insist on giving the people of the two southwestern territories a chance to say by their votes at the polls not, ard upon abiding by their decis- ion. Senator Beveridge will object and argue of cours; but his objections and arguments are not always effectual.
 "The president has been told that the wicked railroads have stirred up the resistance to lne SIdJenOOQ SCneHle, also that Arizona, if left to herself and by herself, will presently fall under Mormon control; also no doubt, that two democratic senators from one new southwestern state are a lesser evil (from the party point of view) than four democratic senators from two new southwestern states.
 "The disinterested friends of Theo- dore Roosevelt (and the 'Courant' oc- cupies a modest corner among them) do not undervalue his popularity; his enduring fame, as a strong, wise, just magnanimous president, is infinitely more precious in their eyes. The only times when they feel solicitude are the times when his old nervousness about being ticketed as a Sunday school politician" -ecurs, and prompts him to show that he can play the game as -bloodedly as any cynical grey beard at table"