Arizona republican., 1906-10-09

fIocks and herds; and you have a few suggestions why Arizona does not wei come the idea of jointure. With a smaller territorial indebtedness, we have a territorial tax rate of 75 cents against S1.5O in New Mexico, with ev- cry prospect of a reduction in the former and an increase in the latter.
 If such a partnership as is proposed were cOnsummated. Arizona would fur nish much the larger share of the as sets and New Mexico much the larger share of liabilities. with the power of control and regulate their distribution. It is a reasonable inference that joint statehood would admit of a merging of the indebtedness. county and territo- rial. into one state debt. In any event. if the constitutional convention, with it's New Mexican representation of 66 to Arizona's fl. did not provide such an arrangement, the first state legisla- ture would.
 We have not left our old friendly feeling for New Mexico and deplore her apparent surrender to the selfish considerations which p.1mpt her ad- vOcacy of the union of the territories. Pleading for jOinture. she admits her inability to stand alone and her unfit ness for single statehood. and declares herself willing to play the part of a tool in the hands of what Hon. NJ. A. Otero calls in his able letter to Senator Teller Congressional manipulators of westerh peoples rights"
 We believe that 99 out of 100 of the joint statehood advocates in New Mex icO will agree that single statehood is better than joint statehood. Why then pledge a glorious future for an inferior present? The territories are not per ishable goods. The advantages of statehood can be purchased at too great cost, and the people of New Mex ico and Arizona will be wise to defer gaining it upon the terms now being offered. The territories are growing in the elements demanded by congress as a standard of admission to the sis terhOod of states, and the time is not far distant, if not already present when each will be able to present on her own account abundant evidence Of a right to claim another star in the flag.
 The logic of the New Mexico and Arizona situation says the Kansas City Journal, is simple and plain. The hostility to a union of the two territo- ries is a matter of inheritance and edu- cation. The whole union could be re- duced to states of uniform size or pop ulation with undoubted benefit to all concerned so far as mere convenience is concerned But how would Vermont CTS like to be merged with New York CTS? How would the people of Maine like to be confused with the people Of New Hampshire? The feeling of state pride and state love may be foolish but it is there and cannot be ignored The people of New Mexico are as much opposed to taking the name of Arizona as the people of Virginia would be to taking the name of Kentucky The people of Arizona have fought as mo- ble a fight in state building as was ever won in this country. They have overcome difficulties of the most stu pendous character and have brought into existence Q commonwealth worthy 10 stand alone for all time They should be given the fruits of their con quest, and full place in the great con stellatiOn of states should in due time be accorded to Arizona. The same is true of New Mexico. There is nothing particularly lovely or satisfactory about so large a state as Texas. It is unwieldly and incoherent. It would be better if it were two states or three. Arizona and New Mexico must each be a state.