The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-06
Is Opposed to Admitting Arr
IONA and New Mexico to the
Union, Each as Independent
State.
INDIANA SENATOR TO
ATTEMPT TO BLOCK THIS
As Chairman of Senate CON-
mittee on Territories He
Probably Will Be Able to
Succeed.
BY Sheldon S. Cline.

ny oHCI0On D. NItnS.
washington, Feb. 6.-Do you remem-
Der how heroic was Albert jeremiah
Beveridge Of Indiana when he was bat
ting for joint statehood for New Mex
leo and Arizona? He filled pages and
pages OF the Congressional Record
with reasons why those territories
should no longer be kept out Of the
sfsterhoOd Of states. 1t mattered not
that New Mexico and Arizona didn'.
want to come into the union as one
state; Beveridge knew better than
did the territories themselves what
was for their good and besides, didn't
It. appeal to American patriotism to
mves all. contiguous American territory
WITH In the union?
Tnesstory' of how Beveridge and the
other Joint statehood statesmen were
fo3cedato consent to submit the ques-
ton to a vote of the people of the two
territories and how the verdict was
against joint statehood is we'll known.
= point Is that the time has now
when the territories can have
rate statehood if Beveridge and
other one state senators will con-
t. The house committee on terri
les has acted favorably on the bill
Dividing for separate statehood, and
ere will be no difficulty in passing
through the house if there is hope
favorable action by the senate. Bev-
idge, who is chairman Of the senate
committee on territories is still op-
posed to the erection of two states
and his opposition probably will be
sufficient to prevent action at the pres
ent session Of congress,
That New Mexico and Arizona will
eventually come into the union as two
states is now certain. Sentimen in
favor of separate statehood is now
overwhelming, not ony in congress,
but throughout the country. Bever-
idge and his associates in the senate
for a time, but eventually they will
come in. And when they are admitted
1t will be many years before another
American state is created.
Many reasons have been urged
against the admission OF New Mexico
and Arizona as separate states, some
sound and some ridiculous. That their
populations are small is admitted, but
that is fault that the future may
remedy. Irrigation is going to do a
lot for the territories, and a family can
live In comfort on ten acres of irri-
gated land. That means a lot in the
way of population possibilities.
There Is one objection, however,
and it has been a very potent one in
senate, which can not be overcome.
The admission of two new states would
mean four new senators, and there is
violent opposition in the senate to
further increasing the membership OF
that body. There are now 90 senators
and Arizona and New Mexico as
states would give 96. The senate seems
willing to increase it's membership to
"a. but balks at 90. 1t is rather diff
cult for the layman to understand
this straining at the matter OF two adj
ditional senators, but then, there are
great many things about the United
States senate which it is difficult for
the layman to understand.
It would seem that the senate ought
to be satisfied with the knowledge that
% would represent the limit in size
for that body for many years to come.
At some time in the remote future
Alaska may knock for admission. but
Alaska would be happy for many years
with an organized territorial form of
government. The same is true Of
Porto Rico. Certainly no states will
be erected in the Philippines within q
century. Cuba may be annexed some
day and become a state and the an
nexation Of Canada would mean sew
eral states, but those possibilities are
too remote for present concern. AS
the senate appears to get along fairly
comfortably with its present member
ship and the possibilities of en1arg-
ing that membership are constitution
ally and geographically limited, one
may be excused for regarding the
present fuss over the question as to
whether there shall be two or four
new senators as good deal of tenn
pest in a teapot.
In the house now the matter of
growing membership is one of grave
concern. Not only does the admission
OF new states bring new house men,
bers, but there has been steady in
crease to keep pace with the growing
population Of the country.
Every well informed member of the
the house realizes that it would be 4
much more efficient working body with
oae-half its present membership. 1t
is proposed that in fixing apportiou-
ment after the federal census of 1910
the membership shall be largely re-
duced. requiring REIMBURSEMENT and
consolidation of congressional dis
tricts. But there is not one chance in
a thousand of usch q project ever be-
ing enacted into law. It would mean
that considerable number OF house
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