Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-03
TO PERMIT PEOPLE
Of ARIZONA TO
ELECTOFF|CERS
New and Novel Scheme 10
AmeIiorate Territorial Con-
dition is Proposed by Phoe-
nix Man,

w. y. Bell, Of Phoenix, Ariz.. has
sprung q new plan whereby to press
Ari2ona's claims for statehood. In an
interview in Phoenix MIR. Beil ex-
explained his idea as follows;
! have a tentative plan that it seems
to me viii give the people Of Arizona
all of the benefits of single statehood,
with the exception of representation
in the senate and house OF represen-
tatiVes of the United States and ]
would like to submit it to the public
for adverse or favorable criticism.
AS a representative Of the people |
do not like to take the initiative in a
plan Of this kind without having some
kind of an expression from the peo-
pie. 1t is my intention to represent
the will Of the people as near as pos
sible in the twenty-fourth legislature
and II. after some public discussion,
ii seems that the following plan will
meet with public approval, ! will in
troduce the joint memorial. The plan
is as follows:
House joint Memorial Number.
To the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives of the United States, in Con-
gress assembled.
Your memorialists. the legislative
assembly Of the territory Of Arizona,
respectfully represent:
That the United States government
is on the eve Of granting full terri
torial rights to the people of Porto
Rico and the Philippine islands: that
the people of Arizona are free-born
American citizens, whose f%orefathers
laid the foundations of the American
republic. gathered together from all
parts Of the United States. and are
'pre-eminently able to conduct a gov
eminent along American lines, being
in this particular infinitely superior
in intelligence and political sagacity to
the people OF the Philippine islands
and Porto REQ.
That the people of Arizona fer
many years looked forward to the time
when Arizona would come n the
union as a sovereign state, believing
that the promise of single statehood
Is implied by the organic act and was
actually made in words by President
Lincoln at the time Of the creation of
the territorial lines, to take effect
when Arizona should have a popula-
tion Of 10000; that Notwithstanding
the fact that your honorable bodies
have denied this right to our people
for three successive congresses, they
still think that they are entitled to
Independent autonomy and will never
consent to the right of local govern
ment, or to the merging of Arizona
with any other state or territory.
That in view of the fact that your
honorable bodies seem to be in a mood
"antagonistic to the just claims of the
people of this territory and not in
clined to grant Arizona single state
hood at this session of congress; there
fore, be 1t
Resolved. BY the legislative assem-
bly, of Arizona that your honorable
bodies are hereby requested to change
the organic act relating to the conduct
of territorial governments in such a
manner as to permit the people Of
Arizona to elect all the territorial Of
hcers, now created and hereafter to
be created by the legislative assembly
of said territory, including the gov
ernor all of the district judges, the
Secretary of state, the auditor, the
treasurer. the attorney general. the
public examiner. the citizen member
of the board Of control, and any and
all officers of a territorial character.
reserving the right of The board Of
control to appoint the heads of the
~penitentiary. the asylum. the univer-
sity the normal schools. the reforma-
tory. the territorial board of equali-
zation and such other boards as are
of a territorial nature; and be it fur
Their
Resolved. That your honorable bod
les are further requested to ~segregate
the courts Of this territory to the ex-
tent Of giving the chief justice. who
shall be appointed by the president OF
the United States, jurisdiction in all
federal matters and giving the district
Judges Jurisdiction in all territorial
matters. it being understood that the
s6preme court shall remain as now es-
tahIished. but that the chief justice
do not sit as a district judge,
In case that there should arise ~
position to this plan. either at home
or at Washington, because the federal
government has not sufficient supervi-
vision over the territory. Bell sug-
gests as a compromise that the gov
ernor he appointed at Washington.
and that the right Of appointments be
conferred upon the board of control,
two members of which, the auditor
and citizen member, are elected.