The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-19
BREAKING A NATIONAL PROMISE
New York Sun

N-NSW 1OTk sum-
Forty-three years ago shis month con-
gress separated Arizona as a territory
from New Mexico as a territory. The
reasons for the separation and the erec-
ton Of Arizona as an independent ter
ritory were set forth by Senator Ren
Wade of Ohio. Our neighbOr will find
Mr.. Wades remarks, declaring the pol
icy of the federal government in this mat
ter in the congressional Globe Cor Feb.
70, 1853. Among ether things he said:
The territory Of New Mexico. includ-
ing Arizona, is an exceedingly large one,
altogether too extensive for any munich
pal business to be transacted in its ex-
IRENE portions. After the territory Of
Arizona was acquired it was for some
time attached to New Mexico for civil
purposes, and is now q part and parcel
Of that territory. The principal point of
from the seat Of justice in New Mexico.
The number Of square miles en-
braced IN this territory of Arizona is 100
9I2-about five or six times as large as the
state Of Ohio-and the portion of New
Mexico from which It is divided is all
most as large, for the boundary line di-
vides, the whole territory nearly in the
middle. 7 believe the organization
of this territory will lead immensely to
the increase of its population and to the
development Of its vast riches that are
latent and undevelOped. l have no doubt
there is as much necessity for the or
we have ever organized. New
Mexico and Arizona constitute a country
larger than half Of Europe
If the Tribune continues its investiga-
ton of Arizona's historical and logical
right to have a voice as to the conditions
of its admission TO statehood forty-three
years after its separation from New Mex
leo for the reasons stated by Senator
Wade it will find that the law of 1865
creating this independent territory, con-
tanned this distinct provision:
Provided. That nothing contained in
the provisions of this act shall be con-
strued to prohibit the congress of the
United States from dividing said territory
or changing it's boundaries in such man.
ner or at such time as It may deem pro-
per: provided, further. that said govern
ment shall be maintained and continued
until such time as the people Of said ter
ritOry shall, with the consent of the con-
gress. form a state government, republic
an in form, as prescribed by the constitu-
ton Of the United States. and apply for
and obtain admission into the Union as a
state on an equal footing with the origi-
nal states"
Thus congress, forty-three years ago.
not only created Arizona as a separate
entity, but promised her statehood as a
entity when she desired and was
ready for statehood. The pending bill
proposes TO commit that very outrage
which the Tribune says it cannot perceive.
II undoes the work OF nearly half a cen
fury Of Independent existence 1t violates
the pledge OF independent statehood i'm
piled in the language of the act creating
the independent territory. It proposes to
force ARIZONA back into an undesired
union with New Mexico by referring the
question Of cOalescing not to Arizona =
voters, but to q combination OF New Mex
ioo's and Arizona's voters-a combination
In which Arizona is In & position to be
IN the decision OF her own des-
tfnies.