The Forrest City times., 1910-04-01
Eager to Become States.

Arizona and New Mexico may be obliged to wait until more conyen- lent season. for the honors Of statehood The party in power has promised that the territorial form of government soon shall be thing of the past, but the question which the representatives of the two territories who are anxious for statehood would like to have answered is just what is meant by "soon"
 The friends of statehood, in their anxiety. cannot see any other reason for the further exclusion of the terri tories from the union except the one political reason that the Republicans do not want to add to the senate's Democratic membership just at the present time. The Republican lead CTS who. while saying that they are not opposed to statehood after proper preparations for it can be made, deny that political considerations have any thing to do with their unwilingness to act quickly or, as they put It, hastily It is not altogether assured, however, that if the territories were to be given statehood at once their legislatures would elect four Demo cratic senators.
 Dealing with Mexican Element.
 There is a considerable element in the population of Arizona and New Mexico which Is of Mexican extrac- tion. Thousands of these people have kept their old Mexican ways and a great many of them cannot speak English. It has been proposed to deny suffrage to all men excepting those capable of speaking English.
 The desire of Republicans who are not opposed to statehood even at the present time Is that if admission is given to the territories they shall hold their constitutional conventions and their elections of state officers at diff ferent times It is held by the ad- vocates of this plan that in the scram- ble for the offices the people might be led to adopt constitutions without proper study of their conditions. This, 1t is said. would happen unless the NolIuS on lhc lahAhIdliOii Ol hhC Soii stitutions and on the election for state officers were held at widely separated times.
 It is yet problematical whether or not statehood for the two territories will come to a vote at the present ses- sion of congress. Even those who are opposed to admitting them into the United States say that the time is not far distant when they must be ad- mitted. because neither party can af- ford to ignore the promise that 1t mas made. The Republicans. it is claimed, if they continue in power. cannot af. ford to be needless for any great length of time of the presidents rec ommendation in favor of granting the rights of states to the two southwest ern territories.
 Defense of Railroad Bill.
 The troubles in the house of repre- sentatives. the debate in the senate other matters. have rather shadowed the issue of statehood for the two ter ritories. but within the shadow never theless there has been a half ob- scured scene of activity. It does not seem probable that the demand of the territories for a new form of govern ment which will make them states of the union will long be denied. but if the friends of immediate action are to be believed the Republicans are none too anxious just now to give the ter ritories admission because the ma jority party does not wish immediate