Bisbee daily review., 1906-01-07

preserve their right of self govern ment, not as tribe of Filipinos in a far distant country, but as Ameri- can citizens. To force the .territory into union with New Mexico would do the people of Arizona a grievous wrong. Tt would place us,s says the anti-point statehood league. "un- der the domination of a people who greatly outnumber us and who are widely different in race. in language, in laws and in ideals" Afih
 The appeal of the people of Ari- zona ought to receive sympathetic consideration 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 wereT thirty nine Senators who voted to eliminate from the joint statehood bill all ref erence to Arizona and New Mexico While this was not a majority. of the Senate, it yet constituted minority so strong that no bill could be rail roaded through the Senate against it's opposition. nthe light of the, facts presented by the Arizona anu-joint statehood league, there is apparently no justification for compelling that territory to accept statehood only as a part of New Mexico. Nor does it appear that public policy requires a consolidation of the two Territories There is no pressing necessity for in creasing the number of states in the union, although few politicians may think that there is. The country would not suffer if Arizona. and New Mexico each should remain territory until they possess the population and resources which would entitIe them to admission separately to statehood The best elements in Arizona take this position respecting the future of their territory, and it is position which comments itself to the, good people of Arizona are different in language and race from those of New Mexico. In the latter territory there are eight Spanish-Americans to five of all other races. In the legislature of New Mexico there is a marked pre- dominance of the Spanish element. The governor of New Mexico. in a re port. has shown that there is also a strong feeling in that territory in opposition to, consolidation With .Ari- zona. This is not due "to ans, innate animosity between the territories, but to the inherent differences in popula- tion. 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 the ter ritories under one state government.
 It is hoped that the question of state. hood for Arizona and New Mexico will be considered on loftier plane
 than that of party politics and par
 tisan advantage Congress probably
 has the constitutional right to eonsol
 idate territories as a precedent to | their admission to statehood. But nc
 action looking to the consolidation .ot
 Arizona with New Mexico should bt
 taken against the opposition of tht people of either territory If there
 are not a dozen men of prominenc'
 in Arizona who are in favor of ;
 union with New Mexico, it would b.
 a subversion of the American principl
 of self government to ignore the praC
 ticaIly unanimous protest of the pee
 pie of Arizona against consolidation
 with another territory having diffel ent ideals and in many respects radically different population Bait
 more Sun.
 II President Roosevelt now viBdicate I Paul Morton's yindicatiOn.