Arizona silver belt., 1906-02-01
01iCiQ| P0DeT Of GI|Q County.
THE BATTLE NOT LOST

sentatives in passing the Hamilton joint-statehood bill was not surprise, the vote the previous day on the rule to prevent amendment having shown a clear majority favoring the measure, The vote by which the bill passed was 194 to 15O, thirteen members who had voted against the adoption of the rule failing to vote either for or against the bill on its final passage and two of the so-called Insurgents" stultifying them selves by voting with the majority.
 While the passage of the bill through the house by so large majority has very naturally increased the anxiety of the people of Arizona lest the stupend- ous wrong of destroying Arizona's autonomy by merging her with New Mexico should be accomplished, yet the situation is by no means as discourag- ing as appears on the surface. It can not be denied that the administration at Washington will resort to every expedient, however questionable, to accomplish the overthrow of Arizona as a political entity, but fortunately for us there is vast difference be- tween the rules and methods of proce dure in the house and in the senate. The action of the majority in the house under pressure from Speaker Cannon, in denying the right to amend the bill and restricting debate upon it, is a fine example of gag law. The house of representatives has ceased to be a re- presentative body. In the senate, however, Arizona will be given hear ing and there will be no restriction put upon debate. The joint-statehood bill will be freely discussed and the infamy of the measure as it relates to Arizona will be fully disclosed. Amendment will be offered and in all probability adopted, to either exclude Arizona from the provisions of the Hamilton bill or else to permit the people of this terri tory and New Mexico to vote separate ly on the adoption or rejection of the state constitution, which would insure Arizona's escape from the humiliation of the proposed merger.
 A canvass of the senate has shown that Arizona may count on strong sup port in that body in the supreme effort to preserve her political autonomy, and even though there should not be a suf- ficient number with us to secure the defeat of the Hamilton bill, the debate could be so protracted as to endanger other administration measures deemed of greater importance, and thus force the advocates of joint-statehood to accept an amendment to the bill elimin- ating Arizona. Washington advices state that senators who opposed the joint-statehood proposition at the last session of congress are confident that the bill will be amended before it passes. More significant is the state ment that several of the most infuen- tial members on the republican side of the senate who last session were indif- ferent to the fate of statehood for the territories, now will be found active opponents, because by keeping the statehood bill before the senate as a fruitful topic for debate, they may accomplish their purpose of forcing a compromise on other legislation.
 While Arizonans would deplore the use of the statehood bill as buffer to defeat important legislation in the in terest of the people, yet the principle of the right of self-government which the republican administration would deny to Arizona is more important than all else-not alone to the people of this territory but to every good citizen of the United States, wherever his abode may be.
 We of Arizona should take heart and enter more earnestly into the contest to preserve the autonomy of our be- loved territory. Let every citizen do all that he possibly can to strengthen the hands of our friends at Washing ton, who are valiantly fighting Ari- zona's battle.