The border vidette., 1909-01-23
GOV. kIBBEY'S MESSAGE
An Able, Carefully Written Document
 Read to Arizona Lawmakers

in publishing the following from same:
 "Executive Department Territory of Arizona, City of Phoenix, January 19, 1909
 "To the cornell and the House of Representatives of the Twenty fifth Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona.
 "In my message to the assembly in it's session in 1907, I felicitated you and the Territory upon the then re- cent defeat of the proposed jointure of New Mexico and Arizona as one state.
 ''I think we may now congratulate ourselves upon the almost assured ad- mission of our Territory to the Union as a single state within the immediate future. I feel confident that this ses- sion of your body is the last Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly that will ever convene. While I think there can be no possible doubt of the almost unanimous desire of the Terri tory for admission at the earliest pos sible moment, ana while I think there is little doubt in the minds of Congress and of the people of the country at large of the earnestness of that desire, I think that formal expression of that wish by your body, so recently from the people as their chosen repre- ho !, wise.
 "The near approach of the consum- nation of our hopes and preparations for statehood I feel sure must impress us all with the responsibilities that rest upon us, which, while not new, are brought more clearly within our view, and which ought to impel as we'll as to inspire us to the fullest and best and most conscientious discharge of the duties devolving upon us at this juncture.
 There can be no question but that the manner in which we administer our public affairs will and does affect the sentiment of Congress and of the people at large toward us, fsvorahly if we manifest a willingness and the ability to manage them according to the high standards of American citi- zenship, unfavorably. I: we do not At this juncture we are naturally and inevitably subject to closer scrutiny than ever before in our history. In vIew of our expressed desire for state hood and of the fact that that question is now before Congress and the Amer ican people. particular attention is more than ever directed to us and to what we may do or leave undone.
 "There are submitted to you with this communication the reports of tke various Territorial officers relating to the matters peculiarly within their administration, and to them I refer you for detailed information of the condition of the Territory SO far as that may be affected by or bs related to the administration of those several offices.
 "In general the people of the Ter ritory have been prosperous. There is continued and rapid development of our mining, live stock. agricultural and other resources and of the indus tries relatisg to or dependent upon them. There Is steady increase of population which has now according 70 the best estimate that 1 have been able to make from all acce ssible data, reached 100000 numerically. The immigration to which the increase is chiefly due, has been of desira ble class of people.
 "I think there has been manifested a greater degrer of care in the admin- istration of law, in civic conduct and in the general interest iu the growth and development of all the institutions of our Territory, public and private.
 "With the growth of population and the extension of our industries, there seems to be apparent greater realization of the responsibilities, as there IsAi the opportunities. of our