Arizona republican., 1906-01-01
NEED BE NO HURRY
 SAYS BALTIMORE SUN
The Country is Not Suffering for More
 States.

The Baltimore Sun of December 26 printed a column editorial in opposi- ton to joint statehood, viewing the question largely from a moral stand point. The Sun had been furnished facts relating to the conditions in the territory and the sentiment of the people on the subject of statehood by Secretary Charles A. Van der Veer of the board of trade.
 In concluding the Sun said:
 ''The appeal of the people of Arizona ought to receive sympathetic consid- eration from congress. Even if the house of representatives should ride rough -shod over their wishes and join them in statehood with New Mexico, the senate, at least should see that no injustice is done. In February, 1905, there were thirty-nine senators who voted to eliminate from the joint statehood bill all reference to Arizona and New Mexico. While this was not a majority of the senate, yet it con- stituted a minority so strong that no bill could be railroaded through the senate against its opposition. In the light of the facts presented by the Ari- zona Anti-Joint Statehood league, there is no apparent justification for compelling that territory to accept statehood only as a part of New Mex ico. Nor does it appear that public policy requires a consolidation of the two territories. There is no pressing necessity for increasing the number of states in the Union, although a few politicians may think there is. The country would not suffer if Arizona and New Mexico each should remain a territory until they possess the pop ulation and resources which would entitle them to admission separately to statehood. The best clements in Arizona take this position respecting the future of their own territory, and it is a position which comments itself to the good sense of practical Ameri- cans. The people of Arizona are diff ferent in language and race from those of New Mexico. In the latter terri tory there are eight Spanish -Ameri- cans to five of all other races. In the legislature of New Mexico there is a marked predominance of the Spanish element. The governor of New Mexico in a report has shown that there Is also a strong feeling in this territory against consolidation with Arizona. This is not due to any innate animos- ity between the territories, put 10 the inherent differences in population, in legislation, in industries and from historical and ethnological stand points, It thus appears that there is a body of opinion in New Mexico which recognizes as clearly as the public opinion of Arizona the imprac- ticability of union between these terri tories under one state government. 'It is hoped that the question of statehood for Arizona and New Mex ico will be considered on a loftier plane than that of party politics and partisan advantage. Congress probab- ly has the constitutional right to con- solidate territories as a condition precedent to their admission to state hood. But no action looking to the consolidation of Arizona with New Mexico should be taken against the opposition of the people of either ter ritory. It would be a subversion of the American principle of self-govern- ment to ignore the practically unani- mcus protest of the people of Arizona against consolidation with another ter ritory having different ideals and in all respects a radically different pop ulatiOn.