Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1910-01-21
PHOENIX. ARIZONA. JAN. q. 1910.
Some Interesting. Statehood History.


territory that there is something new
and revolutionary. and therefore prob
ably unfair in the suggestion that the
constitution of the proposed state of
Arizona. after its ratification at the
polls. shall be submitted TO congress
for its approval.
The facts of history are exactly to
the contrary. There is an abundance
of precedent for the action which the
United States senate is said to ad-
vOcate. Indeed. until recent years the
program which is now attributed TO
President Taft and the senate leaders
as the policy which will be adopted
New Mexico was the program which
congress almost uniformly followed.
In the earlier days of the republic
and until the civil war period, it was
customary for congress to pass an
enabling act authorizing the people
of a territory TO form and adopt a
to be submitted to congress for APP
proval before the territory became a
state in finality.
A departure from this procedure
was made when Nevada was admitted
An emergency confronted President
Lincoln and his administration: they
m he
adoption of one of the war amend
ments TO the federal constitution. and
the admission Of Nevada was rushed.
Thereafter the exigencies of politics
usually governed the creation Of new
states. For instance, the election Of
a democratic president in 1884 led the
republican party TO favor the creation
of new states which il was thought
would be surely republican. and I'M
der President Harrison a group of
northwestern states was admitted. An
incidentally humorous feature that de-
velcped was the capture of most of
these new states by the democrats
and popuiists in 1892. Since the ad-
mission of Nevada il has been the
custom for congress in the enabling
act TO provide for completion of the
state machinery upon ratification of
the proposed constitution by the peo-
pie and proclamation Of the fact by
the president But to provide that
Arizona and New Mexico shall form
their constitutions and, if the people
ratify them. submit them to congress
for further action is merely to return
to the traditional manner of creating
new states.
The mistaken ideas to which we
have alluded exist, of course. because
the people holding them have not TAX
en- the trouble to become familiar
with the histories Of the states. and
because politicians. anxious to create
prejudice against republican admin
istration, have denounced from time
to time as revolutionary and insulting
to a free people all suggestions that
congress might in our enabling act
provide for submission of our con-
stitution to congress itself. Even the
Hon Mark Smith, as well informed |
as he should be after twenty years /
service in congress, has led the demo- /
cratic chorus in Objecting to this pro- |
pOsal as evidence of the malignant |
design Of a republican administration !
TO deal unjustly with the people of |
Arizona And yet Mr.. Smiths own /
native state of Kentucky. as we shall !
presently see did not become a state
until it had held ten constitutional
conventions.
There being plenty of precedent for
lodging with congress the power to
pass upon the acceptability of a pro-
posed state constitution, it is obvious
that there is nothing unique or ex-
traordinary in the proposal that Ari-
IONA and New Mexico shall submit
their constitutions to Washington for
scrutiny. The Republican would have
been glad To see the simpler procedure
adopted. and will be glad if congress
shall decide that the Hamilton bill is
acceptable. for we have no doubt
whatever that the people of this ter
ritory will frame a constitution that
will have the instant approval of the
country.
But there can be no well founded
objection to the principle Of the ira
ditional procedure. We are asking to
be taken into the partnership of
states. The partners of the existing
union certainly have the right to as
certain whether we would be con-
genial associates and free from cranky {
notions that might disturb national !
harmony. We of Arizona know there
is no danger in that direction IL is
our misfortune that we are not so
well known abroad as we ought to be 1
Lacking in acquaintance with us. con- I
gress will be strictly within it's rights c