Arizona republican., 1906-10-31

and the general policies which he has
so fearlessly pursued, but am convinc-
ed that he has been led into his present
+ position on the statehood question
/ through bad advice on the part of those
whose knowledge OF this Territory was
most limited. / believe that he is too
fair and square man to lead his in
fiuence in future to the joint state
hood idea after the people of this Ter
ritory have overwhelmingly expressed
j themselves as opposed TO it.
The following letters should convince
the most skeptical that the fear OF
joint statehood in the future through
congressional action. is a bug-a-bOo Of
: the iimsiest character. The originals
Z Of all these letters are in my posses
/ SIGN and viii be cheerfully shown to
any one terested
Senator j. b. Foraker of Ohio, who
so loyalty stood by Arizona's indepen-
dence in the last session of congress.
writes under date of July II. 1906. as
follows:
81 think tho people of New Mexico
and Arizona are wise enough to know
that as public sentiment, in harmony
/ with congressional action condemned
the american proposition to compel
, them to unite. to secure statehood, so
will both public opinion and congress
sional action condemn all suggestions
/ and threats. made TO influence votes
for JOINT statehood, of punishment by
undue erd unjust denial of separate
statehood IL the people of these terri
tories vote, as the people of the United
States wish them to, according to their
own judgment as to what is for their
best interests"
Senator Henry NJ. Teller, whose long
and tried service in the Senate has
given him great influence. writes me
under date of September u. 1906:
Il have opposed the joint statehood
of Arizona and New Mexico because 1
thought it unjust to both New Mexico
and Arizona. also consider it unjust
to the people of the United States and
every section of it.
Both New Mexico and Arizona have
the natural wealth and general condi-
tions that entitIe them TO have the
benefit of statehood. separate and
apart from each other The PROPOSE
tion to unite New Mexico and Arizona
In one state received its death blow
with the passage OF the bill for the ad-
mission of Oklahoma as a state on
the Foraker amendment which was to
submit TO the people of Arizona and
New Mexico the question of joint state
hood the vote was - to %. BY an
error in the pairs the friends OF the
amendment lost one vote. so the real
vote should have been 40 to IS.
THE real strength OF the joint state
hood bill was the anxiety of members
and senators TO secure the admission
of Oklahoma. which they were led to
believe could not be secured except by
by the admission of Arizona and New
Mexico IN
hereafter. the question viii not be
hampered by the admission of other
states, but congress will pass on the
question Of the admission Of New Mex
leo and Arizona separately. Believing as
do with a knowledge of your Territory
and its great resources and the char
acter of your population / am conf
dent the day is not far distant when
Arizona viii he admitted to the Union
q know a threat has been made by
some of the friends OF joint statehood
that Arizona viii not be admitted for
many years if your people do not vote
for joint statehood You can well af-
ford TO disregard all such threats, as no
one can speak for congress on this
question, and 1 am confident your peo-
pie can make such a showing before
the next census in 1910 that congress
viii cheerfully admit your Territory
to the Union
1T seems TO me that the people OF
Arizona owe Il to their friends i'm cong
ress. who accepted the statements that
the people of Arizona We're opposed to
joint statehood, to demonstrate by
their vote that such statement was
true.
"A good strong vote against joint
statehood now, viii forever dispose Of
the question of joint statehood and go
far to insure the early admission OF
Arizona. / think I may say that
know the sentiment Of congress viii be
favorable to your admission without
any unreasonable delay"
Senator p. J. McCumber chairman Of
the committee on pensions. and regard
ed as one OF the strong republican SEN
ators, writes under date of October ;.
1906.
The sentiment Of the country is
overwhelmingly in favor of making
states out of the remaining territories
as soon as il can be done without in
justice to the people of the territories.
There can he no question but that
Arizona and New Mexico will be ad-
mitted separately whenever congress I
is satisfied that they have the requisite
population ~and resources. Not only
that but I am equally certain that con-
gress viii stretch a point to secure ad-
mission Of these territories although
they may not measure up to what a
great many feel should be the standard
Of population and resources. I cannot
but feel that much of the opposition
to separate statehood is a sectional. op-
position to the increased representation
of the trans Mississippi country. The
claim has been continuously made tina.
these two territories are DESTROYS OF
coming into the Union as a single
state When that claim has been dis
SIpated and the sentiment clearly ex-
pressed that these people are opposed
TO JOINT statehood, I feel that congress
VIII then proceed to consider the mat
ter Of separate statehood upon the
marILa ~ III. - IL 49,.