Williams news., 1906-06-23
PEOPLE VOTE.
 ON STATEHOOD
Given an Opportunity to Reject Jointure.
 Bill Signed

Bill Signed
 Washington, June 16.-The pres ident signed the statehood bill at 3:05 o'clock this afternoon. There were present Delegate Andrews of New Mexico; Representative Ham ilton, Delegate McGuire of Okla homa, many representative citizens of that territory, and large num- ber of newspaper correspondents.
 The president said that he had done the best he could for the four territories because so many of his Rough Riders were from those ter ritories. He added that if Arizona refused to avail herself of the oP- portunity now offered, it witl not be worth while for her to apply in the next fifteen years. "If Arizona rejects the present offer she will re-, mind noe of what a union man said in South Carolina. when that st2te seceded-Too small for a nation, too big for a }unatic asylum"
 In this connection we publish an editorial from the Phoenix Repub- lican. which states the condition clearly as it now confronts Ari- zona:
 "It is ak over now but the voting and the shouting. The question d joint statehood, now that the biH has been signed, has been placed before the people of Arizona. There is not the slightest doubt as to what they will do. The only question is. How deeisively will they do itf Estimates of the voteewhich will be cast for iointure vary from 10 te 9 per cent.
 i'It is desirable that the heaviest possible vote be cast against it, for the vindication of our friends whe represented to the country the prac- tically unanimous opposition senti- ment in the territory. Some are fearful that if the majority should be narrower than has been expected another jointure bill would be in- troduced in the next session. We do not think there is the slightest danger of that. It is altogether inn probable that the outrage will be attempted again. The chief strength of the iointure movement vanished with the elimination of Oklahoma and the Indian Territory from the question. The next session beside will be too short for any legislatios looking to the making of new states. even though there was as great force behind the movement as there has been behind this one.
 But all the same, 1t devolxes upon Arizonans, for the vindica Eon of themselves and their friends in congress, that the most pronounced expression be uttered against joint statehood.
 "The question is put up in almost it's simplest form. It is complica- ted only by the voting for delegates to a constitutional convention and that can be greatly simplifed s,y x concerted action by the two peliti- cal parties.
 1t has already beea suggested and the suggestion has been favor able received that the two eentraa committees get together in ts.e mat ter, agree that a single set of can- didates for delegates be chosen; that they he selected from both parties. and that they be the best metl that could be chosen.
 "There can be neither harm nor good in voting for the delegates, for after all they would not be elected unless statehood should carry. The candidates for delegates should be. it is also suggested, anti statehood men of pronounced views. 1t is very likely that most if not all the candidates for county offices ia every county will also be anti-joint statehood men standing upon plat forms of which anti jointure will be the principal, if not the ouly real plank.
 Amid such an environment, the jointure sentiment which has beem slowly dwindling will disappear entirely"