Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1906-04-04
|FORAKER'S SPEECH
UPON STATEHOOD
Eminent Senator From Ohio Lays Bare
The Fallacies of Beveridee's Arguments
And Clearly Shows How Jointure
Would Be Unjust to This Territory.

atcd for purposes Of statehood with
another territory. But in this instance.
for the first time, congress did exactly
the opposite. Instead Of rcscrving the
! right to join Arizona for purposes Of
| statehood with New Mexico. ms in now
proposed, or with any other territory,
congress gave the solemn pledge that
Arizona should continue "a territory un.
I'll when, Mr.. PRESIDENT The language
of the pledge is ms follows:
"That said government shall be
maintained and continued until such
time as the people residing in said ter.
ritory shall apply for and obtain ad.
mission as state.
The senator says that is no, legally
binding, and that il conceded, but this
is the first time in the history Of
legislation in the American congress
of which have any knowledge where
solemnly given pledge Of the gov.
eminent has been sought TO be evaded
on the ground that technically il IL
not legally binding. Everybody con.
cedes IT to be pledge which is NOR.
ally binding. IL is not "A pledge made
simply to the five or six thousand peo-
pie living in Arizona at that time, but
IT is continuing pledge to every man
who has become n citizen of Arizona
from that day until this. given per.
haps as an inducement to people to go
into that territory, become citizens,
help to reclaim its lands, subject
them to civilization, to cultivation, and
build up what would in time become
a state Of this union.
That was to continue. Mr.. President,
until the people Of Arizona should ap.
ply for admission to statehood in the
union. Arizona Is not here applying.
This whole argument has proceeded on
the part Of those advocating this bill,
upon the theory that the question TO
be determined here in whether there
shall be one state or two separate and
Independent states. That at one time
was the proposition before the senate.
II came To ms from the house. That
was four years ago. The proposition
now il, M il was in the last congress,
whether there shall be one state out
| of two territories, or whether there
shall be a continuance Of two territories
AS territories until such time as con
gress may see III To act with respect 20
them, either to give them separate
statehood or 10 deal with them other
wise, IA it may see fit.
Mr.. President. ! cannot now make an
argument. | can only call attention
10 the points that the senator made,
and to only very few of them. He
contends, In opposition to This amend
ment, that certain interests are fight
ing in favor Of il on account of advan'
tages with respect to the matter Of
taxation; and he instances railroads
and mines. ! do not know anything
about the laws of the territory with
respect to taxation of property there,
except only as the senator has stated
what those laws are. But ] do know
that the complete answer Is that which
was anticipated by him, namely, that
80 long as they are territories, they
not only must be governed by the laws
created by the territories, but also by
the laws Of the congress OF the United
States with respect to the matter OF
taxation.
II in the territories Of Arizona an !
New Mexico the laws are unjust as to
property interests and the citizens gen
erally in the matter Of taxation, the
chairman Of the committee on terri
tories should have called attention 10
IL in order that we might Iegisiate
on the subject, and correct any iniquity
or Injustice that may exist. ~ IN
true. as the senator suggested, that now
the tax laws Of the territory are made
nv the territorial Legislature. III the
territories be admitted TO statehood,
the laws will be made by the state leg
isloture. II these interests are No
powerful that they can control the leg
islature in one instance, they will be
eouallv powerful for aught that ] can
ace. to control the legislature In the
other. and more powerful to control II
,;ve, statehood than IL they