Bisbee daily review., 1909-12-16
WHY ARIZONA WANTS STATEHOOD.

It is indeed surprising to find tie following in the columns Of the Nev Orleans Pieayune. a paper having 2. reputation for excellent good Judg- ment and fairness in all matters. There has been nothing so silly ap- bearing in any paper during the past two years of statehood discussion. as the following from the Picayune:
 Tt is difficult to see what an or 'gaRized territory, whose governor and a few other public officials are appointed by the president. wants with all the additional cares, troubles and expenses of statehood. Of course, the secret of it all is that there are ambitious politicians, who want Of fees created so that they may live at the expense of the people.
 "All the industries of mining agri- culture and stock raising can be car ried on to the greatest advantage un- der the simple forms of territorial government and at less cost than un- der statehood. The simple fact Is that under the state system great hordes of public officials are created to live on the people, and when they once get in they want to stay, and will do so at any cost so only that the people pay for it all. If the popu- latIon of sparsely settled districts on- ly knew what was best fer them they never would want to undertake all the burdens of statehood"
 The people of Arizona desire state hood with enlightenment for the same reason that the South wanted freedom from the. carpet-bag rule which was saddled upon several of the southern states immediately after the civil war ended Arizona deslres self-government because self-govern- ment is the pride of every American citizen and it is his nature to chafe whenever this right is withheld from him We want statehood and self government for the same reason that has impelled the people of all other territories to hasten in every way pos sible their admission into the union.
 We want voice in the government of the United States.
 We want to choose our own off cials. governors, judges and other of ficials.
 We want to have the privilege to vote for the president of the country which we help support and over which floats the stars and stripes.
 
 We want statehood so that we may be represented in the senate of the United States and in the lower house of congress by member with a vote instead of by delegate who has nei- ther vote nor voice in that body.
 We want statehood because it is our right according to all former pre- cedent in the history of making new states: because Arizona has the tax able wealth necessary to support a state government now and in the fu- ture; because Arizona has popUla- tion equal in patriotism and intelli- gence to the citizenship of any state now in the union; because Arizona has vast undeveloped resources to guarantee that the new state will be- come one of the richest in the union. and because with statehood immigra- tion will hurry here to undertake the development of these resources
 It is true that we have politicians in Arizona. but they are not of the kind that would sacrifice Arizona for selfish purposes. This has been dem .onstrated by the successful territorial government which has always reflect ed credit on the territory. Arizona has political aspirants and a state that did not would be an anomaly. but among the politicians of Arizona may be found patriotism and loyalty to Arizona. Without regard to party affiiatfon the men prominent ia poi ties have worked for statehood side by side and we 60 not believe there are a dozen of that class i1 Arfzoaa who would not rather i've in a state controlled by their political oppon- ents than to have Arizona remain a territory under control of their own party
 Arizona has not figured very close iy yet on the cost of a state govern ment nor is it necessary to do so. The wealth of the territory k sufficient to guarantee that the cost of state soyernnent in the future vip De 20 {