The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-22
HAMILTON LEADS
STATEHOOD FIGHT
Michigan Man Center Of One Of
Fiercest Battles Of This
Congress. -
Bv w, w. Jermane.


Washington, Jan. 22.-There is one
member Of congress who has his WORK
cut out for him this session, and that is
Mr., Hamilton of the fourth district OF
Michigan AS chairman Of the COM
| mittee on territories he is in the storm
center Of the fiercest fight that has yet
been attempted on any Of the lmpor-
! tant bills suggested by the president
and ranking as administration bills
Of the first magnitude. It is the joint
statehood measure, known as the Ham
ilton bill, that he has been called upon
to prepare, and for which he will lead
the fight upon the floor OF the house
against such old-timers in floor scrap
! ocratic floor leader, and j. W. Babcock
Of Wisconsin, the leader Of the repub-
lican insurgents, who are opposing
joint statehood.
TT is in Mr.. Hamilton g committee
room that the heavy fighting has so far
occurred, and it has been at hearings
over which he presided that the lie was
! passed. as has been recorded in the
daily press. dispatches. For the past
week every day has seen row in
Hamilton s room, and on several occa-
sions the members of the committee
have been upon the verge Of fist fight
1 ing. ..9..4ss
Shakes His Fist and Roars.
J, It has been great and Hamilton could
, have sold tickets for any one of the
hearings. at 81 apiece to the general
; sporting public. The hearings general
~ start peacefully enough, but within
five minutes several men are roaring at
!; and sometimes the chairman kicks his
chair back and rising, shakes his fist at
: the committee and in tremendous
voice orders the committee to keep cool
The bill providese for the admission
Of New Mexico and Arizona as one
state and Oklahoma and Indian Terri
tory as another. Practically all oppo
sition to the latter combination has dis
appeared since Mr.. Hamilton has &C.
Continued From First Page.
cepted an amendment providing fol
prohibition in the "Indian'' portion OF
the proposed state All the big fight
ing now comes from the territory OF
Arizona. ...
There is large delegation here from
Arizona, some Of whom say they viii
remain until the end Of the session il
they do not sooner defeat the proposed
union of their territory with New Mex
: leo. Their claim is that the people OF
New Mexico are by large majority OF
Mexican extraction, that state com
: posed Of the two territories would bt
dominated by "greasers" and thai
such a union would leave the school,
. and other public institutions of Arizons
at the mercy of an ignorant and litter
ate majority, to the certain ruin there
Of. 49,
Why Arizona Complains.
On the other hand, the advocates O
5 joint statehood for these two territorie
! say. that what is the matter with tn,
8 Arizonans is. that they have such
g6Gd th thsg II int the present status
!. it up. They hold that the territory
|. entirely and absolutely dominated an
s controlled by the railroad and minin
8 interests, which have for years run i
5 practically as an Independent princi
s pality, making the laws and fixing tn
s taxes to suit themselves, and that tn
: sition is at the bottom of all the effort
!: to defeat the bill. They quote the an
S nual report of the governor of Arizon
4 to prove this to be true, showing by
. that some Of the railroads pay taxes O
!. an assessed valuation of only $75
. mile, while some other roads, pay n
!: taxes at all. They also show that som
+. of the mines, valued in some instance
at as high as $15O,OOO,OO0, are assesse
. at only few thousand dollars. Unde
: state government, it is asserted, thes
. interests would have to pay somethin
. more nearly like a fair share of tt
I. taxes, while their absolute control G
all government machinery would h
: much more difficult, if not entirely in
!. possible. Of course the men who al
. here to combat joint statehood der
. that they are controlled by the rairoat
I. or the mines and say they represent a
!. the varied interests of the territor..
.|yet when the governors report
!. sprung upon them they have to adm
!. its correctness and also have to adm
!. that the governor is himself again
|. joint statehood.
Z. Hamilton Is Youthful.
!. Mr.. Hamilton is the youngest nj
!. in the house to hold the chairmansh
=: ccr,ara r. tees and n