Arizona republican., 1906-02-06
HE'S SURE OF 1T
 SAYS GEN. SAMPSON
The Joint Statehood Bill Will be Rem
 dered Entirely Harmless.

Gen. A. J. Sampson returned home
 yesterday afternoon from Washington.
 where he went as one of the first of
 the Arizona delegation whose purpose
 was to do all possible toward defeating
 the joint statehood movement. The | general is looking and feeling well and IS altogether very cheerful over the l situation.
 He says that he is as confident as he is of anything that the Hamilton bin Will be defeated in the senate or so amended that it will be harmless to Arizona. Concerning the fight in the house, he says the territory should feel pleased that it WIS as successful as it
 was in delaying action and in develop ] ing sentiment that will later have q good effect in the consideration of the
 bill in the senate. Considering the fact
 that the delegation faced the herculean
 task of winning fifty-eight members in the house, the general feels that the
 securing of over forty of them was in
 itself something to be proud of. the
 more when every friend made faced
 the opposition of the administration
 which it had to look to for favors The
 house committee on territories, he
 says, was very courteous. giving the
 OCACSetSS bilG large part or a week m
 which to be heard. This was in delight ful contrast to the committee over which Senator Beveridge presides. and
 which would not listen to the Arizona delegation at all, fact that in itself made sentiment in favor of Arizona.
 The general says that not only was the fight hard one. as shown in the final vote in the house, but the dele- gation had the satisfaction of hearing from the lips of many who voted for the bill, as they were forced to do the admission that it was unjust and that they hoped their side would lose in the final vote. While that was small satisfaction immediately it all has its effect on sentiment at the capl- tai. and shows conclusively that the fight would have been won had it not been for the recommendation in the presidents message and his later in- sistence on putting it into effect
 An indication of how the public gen. erally has come to regard the issue was very apparent on the day the vote was taken. He said that every avail 1 able seat and all standing room in the house was occupied at that session, ! and there were hundreds turned away who could not gain admission. There 1 could not have been a greater crowd ] in that chamber had it been inaugura | sion day and the best of it was that | four-fifths of the people were in ac- cord with Arizona, who was being sac- | rificed on the altar Of the administra- | tion's ambition. Wherever a demon | stration could be secured. it was all | favorable to Arizona, who seemed to i have the sympathy of the populace.
 But in the senate, slid the general, | there is an entirely different state of ! affairs Forty-three votes out of the necessary forty-five were counted up 0n to begin with, and that number di' not include a number that have been mentioned recently in these columns as having been lined up on the right side, and who formerly opposed the cause of Arizona. This is the strength that is counted upon to insist on the bill, so that Arizona can not only vote separately on the question but can vote at an election for that special purpose without considering at the same time the election of dele gates to a constitutional convention. Furthermore, there may arise contin- gencies which will result in the defeat of the bill in it's entirety should the friends of the measure take a certain line of action. Concerning this, how ever the general thought it was not wise to say too much lest the enemy might be forewarned and thereby fore