Arizona republican., 1910-01-03
THE OUTLOOK FAVORABLE
If the Opposition of the In dianian and Senator Mel son Is Not Withdrawn It Is Believed That It May Be Worn Out.

Washington, D. C.. Jan. 2-(Special.) ) Statehood advocates are anxiOusly waiting for word from Senator Albert J. Beveridge of Indiana. They also would be pleased to have an express sion from Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota. upon his attitude toward the admission of Arizona and New Mexico into the union during this ses- sion of congress. Through the elev- enth hour opposition of these two members of the senate committee on territories, the only territories remain ing were kept out of the union in the last regular session of congress.
 A bill for both territories with the endorsement of President Roosevelt went through the house with a whirl. Mir. Roosevelt was anxious to see two more stars placed on the flag before the close of his administration. and he swung the "big stick" with de- cided results in the house. But Sen ator Beveridge sprung some sensation al land fraud charges against former Governor Hrgerman of New Mexico just before the adjournment of con- gress and. supported by Senator NeI- son. he demanded an investigation of the conditions of the territory before either of them should be admitted.
 Nothing ever came of the charges. as they were later found to be ground . less, and the matter was dropped As far as the attitude of the national ad ministration and the senate and the house leaders is concerned, statehood stands just where it did at the close of the siXtieth congress.
 President Taft is as anxious to add two more states to the union as was President Roosevelt. He took such an interest in statehood legislation that he made a side trip into Arizona and New Mexico last summer when he was on the Pacific coast He prom ised the people of both territories the support of the national administra- tion and will redeem his pledges this winter
 There will be no serious opposition to the statehood bill in the house Speaker Cannon and the republican leaders insist that the promise of statehood for Arizona and New Mexico is a party policy. They want to go into the next congressional campaign and point with pride to another party pledge redeemed, and the demo- crats of the house claim that they are the only true friends of statehood. In the last congress the statehood bill was passed by a unanimous vote and is apt to receive the same treatment when it comes up for consideration this winter.
 Last winter the chief reason Sena- tor Beveridge argued against statehood was that congress should wait until the thirteenth census is taken to sub stantiate the claims of the advocates of statehood that the two territories now contain over 6O0.OOO souls. The senator is not unqualifiedly against statehood but insists that congress should take more time in considering the legislation. But the statehood boomers are hopeful that the pressure from the national administration and the early passage of the bill in the house will modify the attitude of the chairman of the senate committee and his powerful colleague, Senator Nelson. They do not want to go into the senate with determined oppo- sition of Senators Bevepidge and Nel- son. Still they will not give up the fight even if these senators should refuse to withdraw their opposition.