Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1906-07-18
u. }. Sullivan Points Out Strong And
Convincing Reasons Why the People
Should Vote Against The Proposed
Union of the Two Territories.
(From Saturdays Daily.)
BY D. J. Sullivan.

by u. j. sullivan.
The most important question which
'hc voters Of this territory will be
allied upon To answer nj the election
80 bc held on the 9th Of November
next, is, whether Arizona shall be unit.
ri to New Mexico in joint statehood,
rr whether she shall remain n terri.
tory until such time ms congress shall
-cc III 10 admit her into the union ms
separate and independent state. In
fact, IL is the most serious and i'm.
poriant question they have ever been,
or perhaps will be again called upon TO
decide by their votes.
Mistakes frcqvently made by the
electors Of the territory, such ms the
election Of unfit persons ms representa-.
lives and servants Of the people, are
but temporary in their effect, and arc
loon possible Of correction. a mis-.
take made In the rejection ~ joint
.iatchood, II mistake in this dircc.
lion were possible, could be- soon cor.
rcc,cd by reversal Of the vote at an.
other election. or by the more desirable
condition which awaits us and Ia which
we are cntitlcd-scparatc statehood for
\rizona.
but mistake made by accepting
ioint statehood would remain n mis-.
take during the life Of the nation.
What congress has joined together into
= state there is no precedent for scpar.
a,ing. It is. therefore, much better
Tor the voters Of Arizona TO make the
mistake Of rejecting joint statehood
than the mistake of accepting IL. II
Is better for Arizona Ia remain tenn
porarily n territory, with the many dis.
advantages IL involves, than TO bc join.
I'd ctcrnally in a union distastcful and
undesirable, and from which escape
viii be absolutely impossible.
As TO the stand the people Of Arizona
should take on the question Of the pro
posed union Of the two territories, ], as
one Of the people, am not troubled with
= single doubt.
Since the time that Mr.. Bcvcridgc
and his friends first sprung the plan IA
settle the question Of statehood foI
Arizona and New Mexico by joining
them into one state, I have, ! believe
heard and read every argument offered
and every theory advanced as to tho
benefits 10 Arizona from the union pro
posed. I have Analysed as well M m,
ability 10 do 30 would permit. ever,
one of these arguments and theories
and I state honestly and cmPhatically
that have been unable to extract
from the whole single reason sa'lsfac
tory 10 me, why the union should b'
permitted or even encouraged
have even, for the purpose OF reach
ing n fair and unbiased conclusion, di
vested myself of all interest and sym
patty In the matter, and in this condi
ton have honestly tried to discove
m original logical reason for joint state
hood favorable TO Arizona, and ] hav
failed TO find II.
The only argument ] have heard o
read, suggesting even an excuse 10
ioint statehood 40 far as Arizona wa
concerned, was TO the effect that
separate statehood was impossible, W
should accept the joint article, or,
some have expressed IL, "a half loa
rather than no bread
Even this reason loses its force J
The contemplation that while Arizon
would furnish the greater share OF III
dough-" less than a third of the loa
would be her portion. New Mexie
has more than twice IN many mouth
TO feed AZ Arizona has. II would pc
haps he the crust Of the loaf On
name) for Arizona, and the filling II
New Mexico tho shadow for the o'
and the substance for the other
Arizona has Mt the present time
much larger assessed valuation thu
New Mexico. Before very long, WI
The rapid advancement In the deve'o
mcnt Of her mines, with the reclaim
lion Of her public lands under the III
cation system already inaugur"te
and with the return for taxation OF u
now exempt railroads, 1t Is safe TO 81
that the assessed valuation OF Arizo'
win soon no 80 per cent greater th'
that Of New Mexico. On the oth
hand, her indebtedness and her popul
ton are each 30 per cent less.