Arizona republican., 1906-08-04
TopAYs WORK.

The republican and democratic ter ritorial committees will meet today in pursuance of plan to combine for de- fense against common peril. This will be an unprecedented action; but then. this is the first time subdivision of this country has been so menaced. The danger can be successfully met only by the united action of both par ties. Jointure cannot be fought by re- publicans: it cannot be fought by dem ocrats it must be fought by Arizon- ians.
 So it is proposed to submerge party differences in the campaign against joint statehood. Democrats and repub- licans may struggle as fiercely as ever for the possession of the offices, but they cannot be divided or opposed on the jointure question.
 We are not informed as to the pre- else manner in which this anti joint statehood coalition is to be formed, but there ought not to be a serious differ ence of opinion about details. The main thing is to get together, shoulder to shoulder. forgetful for the time of party politics. when something vastly more important than county or terri torial democracy or republicanism is overshadowing.
 We do not believe that there will be any obstruction on the republican side to such a unity of action as has been proposed. There can be no ethical op position to it. It is a violation of no party principle policy or precedent. The only men who might recommend any other course might as well at the same time declare for joint statehood for the sake of joint statehood.
 Even from republican (and we say also from a democratic) point of view there is nothing else to be done. A few republican jointists in this territory have declared that joint statehood is republican policy A few foolishly par tisan democrats have declared the same thing. The great mass of the repub lican voters of Arizona know it is not true. They know that their own party platform two years ago pronounced against 1t in the strongest terms, and they further know that there has never been an official or authorized pro- nouncement in favor of it. We may add. however, that even if there had been a declaration for jointure by so high an authority as the national re- publican convention. the republican voters of Arizona would have none of it. They would justly regard the sal Vation of themselves as a duty para mount over any possible obligation to the party at large.
 This we know to be the overwhelm- ing sentiment of the republicans of Arizona. It therefore becomes the business. and the chief business, of the committee to carry out SO far as it can. the dictation of the last republican platform, and the overwhelming die tation of the republican voters at the present time.
 The committee cannot afford to let it appear that the party organization Is even tainted by jointure. The nerest suspicion would damn the party at the polls and would disastrously affect the chances of the republican candidate for delegate to congress. It would i'm peril every candidate for a county office.
 So. leaving out of the question en- tirely the merits and demerits of joint ure. and taking into account only the temper of the republican voters of the territory. it is the duty of the repub- liCan organization for tho sake or the republican party, to leave no doubt in the public mind of Arizona republican, isms most vigorous opposition to state hood with New Mexico
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