Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-24
BILL FOR TWO STATES
Committee on Territories Reports the
Measure to the House.
COUPLES ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO
State to Be Named Aris,ns, with Capital at
Santa Fe Un il 1916.
OTHER STATE TO BE NAMED OKLAHOMA
People TO Select Capital by Election After
Nine Years
TIER STATE TO BE NAMED OKLAHOMA
CITIZENSHIP AND iAxss DISCUSSED
Majority of Committee Finds that
People of spanish Descent Are
Good citizens and worthy
of Citizenship.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 2S.-Representativs
Hamilton (Mich), chairman of the house
committee on territories, today submitted
a favorable report on the Hamilton joint
statehood BILL which provides for the ad.
mission OF Oklahoma and Indian Territory
as the state OF Oklahoma and provides
joint statehood for New Mexico and Ari-
zona under the name of Arizona.
The report reviews the bill in detail ex-
planning that the capital of Arizona is to
he at Santa Fe until 1915 and that tho
capital of Oklahoma is to be at Guthrie
for the same length Of time, when the
people can choose their capital; this with
justice to all parts OF the states. The re-
port says:
This committee considers the criticism as
Informed which finds fault with New
lation
out of a population of ls5,Slo New Mexico
has only 1885 foreign-born inhabitants. a
smaller foreign born percentage than most
OF the states I'm the union.
Now Mexico was made territory In
1850 and ever since that time the people
OF that territory have been electing their
own legislatures, making their own laws.
conducting their own local government ana
contributing revenue to the federal treas
ury.
popula tion which are native-born, but OF
Spanish descent. have besu heretofore
eironeously referred TO as foreign. it would
a
even to refer TO their loyalty. The remain
ing three-nfths OF its population are of the
same character as the people of Arizona
Taxation I'm Territories.
OF the alleged differentiation of prop
erty in Arizona for purposes of taxation.
which was warmly discussed In hearings.
the report says:
Ii has a total assessed valuation of taxa
BILE property as shown by the report OF
the secretary Of the interior, of s5l.s2oSl2.
but IL is probable that it's property is re-
turned for taxation at a comparatively
| small percentage OF it's market value In
some instances. as Indicated by govern. ~,
/ actual value.
Concerning taxes in New Mexico. the re-
port says;
! The assessed valuation of property
I st2 57s, 7a2 but 1t Is asserted that for pur-
\ poses of taxation property is returned at
! much less than 20 per cent OF Its market
| value. l..
The report concludes as foiiows:
| Inasmuch as congress intended BY the
| organic act OF the territory. OF Oklahoma
together with what is now Beaver county.
| should become one state. and inasmuch as
J the present territory of Oklahoma has for
which has been deferred until the Indian
! Territory should be ready to be joined
Conditions Condition in the Indian territory impera-
/ lively demand some better form OF gov
! ernment than now exists tnere, ana IN
| asmuch as Indian lands will be allotted In
! severalty before the time when statehood
! can go into effect, this committee reports
in favor of the toinder OF the territory OF
! however before March 4, 1907, such state
| to be known as the state of Oklahoma
To that end and to the end tnat tne Ter. yer.
be Joined in one state, TO be known as the
| state OF Arizona, this committee recon-
mends that the bill be passed
Minority Report.
The democratic members Of the house
committee on territories presented mi
nority report today, in opposition to the
! Hamilton Joint statehood bill. After re-
viewing the resources OF the four territories
OF Arizona. New Mexico. Oklahoma and In
dian Territory and declaring in favor of
Joint statehood for Oklahoma and Indian
Territory. the report says there is no more
reason for joining New Mexico and Ari-
zona than there would be for Joining Alaska
and Porto Rico. The manifest purpose OF
the minority is to unjustly keep Oklahoma
out of the union unless they can. with
greater injustice, force ARIZONA In. says ths
report.
I'VE regret the presidents action In rec
ommending. without assigning any reason
statehood for Arizona and New Mexico and
thus ignoring the last expression of the re
publican national platform on the question
OF statehood for the remaining territories
The report concludes:
should the republican party pass this bill
wicked as IL is I'm the denial of equal right;
i'm representation and partisan in all of II,
material details, IL will but afford another
indecent example of the suppression Of in
/ dividual. territorial and national rights q
! subserve party ends.
txSIaGExTS HOIn CArcrs